


Other Options

by ijustliketowatch



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Horror, Ripper Stefan, Romance, Seduction, Smut, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-19
Updated: 2014-02-13
Packaged: 2017-12-15 12:47:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 44,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/849734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ijustliketowatch/pseuds/ijustliketowatch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place at the beginning of Season 3. Uses some elements from the first episode and then veers off for some sexually charged Steroline.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Considerations

Elena's birthday party had not gone as planned. For the last few weeks, Caroline had thrown herself into planning the perfect party. Elena had been so unhappy since Stefan disappeared two months ago that Caroline made it her mission to throw a party so spectacular, Stefan would not cross Elena's mind once. She had fretted over every detail from the colors of the invitations (navy blue and cream with embossed lettering) to the cake (three chocolate tiers separated by thick layers of butter cream frosting). However, the detail she obsessed over the most was her own wardrobe. She told herself she wasn't dressing up to impress Tyler, but she knew that was just a lie. She must have tried every cocktail dress in Mystic Falls before finally settling on a curve-hugging deep purple number that ended at mid-thigh. Her hair fell in waves over her shoulders and she wore silver stilettos on her feet. She was a knockout and she knew it. Even Damon had given her a lascivious up and down look and then tried to play it cool saying, "Not a bad party, Cocktail Barbie." She was feeling great and then Tyler walked in with that plain little brunette and her night was ruined.

As Caroline drove home from the party, she thought about Tyler. She really didn't understand why she was so upset. Tyler had asked to take their relationship to the next level weeks ago, but she had declined, saying she was not quite over Matt. That was only part of it though. She was really scared of ruining their friendship. Since Stefan had gone missing, Tyler was the only person who understood her. Damon and Elena were always off searching for Stefan and denying their sexual tension, Bonnie was trying to figure out why Jeremy seemed so different after his magical resurrection and Matt wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. The Sheriff was still having trouble adjusting considering killing vampires was literally part of her job description.

Tyler's friendship was the only thing keeping Caroline sane and even that was complicated. They were natural enemies, damn it! She knew she put her life on the line every time she stayed with him during the full moon and befriending a vampire was just about the most dangerous thing anyone could do in Mystic Falls. Worst of all, Carol Lockwood was on the warpath. She probably would have staked Caroline herself if Tyler hadn't threatened he would never see his mother again if anyone hurt her. A romantic relationship would just make everything more complicated and Caroline was already overwhelmed. She had encouraged Tyler to date other people, but she didn't really think he would listen.

Caroline let out a sigh as she pulled into her driveway and turned off her engine. As she got out of her car and walked to her door, she paused as she caught a familiar scent in the air. She could not quite identify what it was, but it reminded her of hunting in the woods for some reason. When she opened her door, she listened for sounds of her mother, but it seemed Sheriff Forbes was pulling another late night at the station. After climbing the stairs to her room, she began thinking of Tyler again as she stripped down to her black bra and panties and rummaged in a drawer for some pajamas. Maybe she had made a mistake in turning him down. Being in a relationship couldn't possibly make their situation any more complicated than it already was. But then she remembered that half-apologetic, half-challenging glance Tyler had given her the moment he spotted her at the party. He tightened his grip on the brunette's waste as if to say to Caroline, "this could have been you, so don't blame me for taking your advice."

Caroline let out a frustrated sigh as she slammed her drawer shut. She was just about to head to the bathroom to take a shower when a deep voice from behind her asked, "something wrong?" Caroline whirled around with teeth bared and eyes filled with blood, ready to take on any threat. Her anger quickly turned to joy when she saw Stefan leaning against her window frame, arms folded across his chest and a smirk on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. The beginning of this work was written before season 3 and then I picked it up again a few months ago. It's almost complete, but I wanted to transfer it here because a certain other site has a problem with explicit content. Would love some feedback.


	2. Altered States

"Stefan!" she yelled and launched herself at him to envelop him in a tight hug. Stefan returned the embrace and Caroline suddenly realized it was Stefan's scent she had smelled earlier. He had a certain earthy aroma that was reminiscent of the woods in which they hunted. Caroline found the combination of his scent and his physical presence immensely comforting. Stefan had been her rock in those early days after her transformation and she had not realized just how much she had come to depend on his guidance.

She loosened her grip to look into his face and was just about to start interrogating him when his gaze stopped her short. Something was different behind his eyes. They lacked their usual steadiness and instead she saw something wild and hungry in them. Just then, she noticed the way he was holding her. His right hand wrapped around her hip, straddling the waistband of her panties. His left hand rested on her back between her shoulder blades, his palm hovering just over the clasp of her bra. The intimacy of the moment reminded her just how exposed she was and Caroline turned and walked across the room to hide her discomfort. She picked up her pajamas and turned back to face him.

"Damon and Elena have been looking everywhere for you," Caroline said nervously. She used his silence to look him over. He wore jeans, what appeared to be black biker boots and a grey shirt that barely concealed the muscled body beneath. He had returned to his former position—arrogantly leaning against her window frame with his arms folded across his chest. He was staring at her with a rather satisfied expression and his eyes roamed up and down her body as if he were committing it to memory.

"Does Elena know you're back?" Caroline asked in an attempt to take his mind off her form. Again, Stefan remained silent, but he turned his gaze from Caroline's body to her eyes. He strode confidently toward her, never taking his eyes from hers. When he reached her, Stefan took the folded pajamas from Caroline's hands and tossed them across the room.

"I wanted to see you," he finally said.

"What about Elena?" Caroline asked weakly. "She's been so worried about you."

"She served her purpose," Stefan said with a nonchalant shrug. "Now that she died in the sacrifice, we don't need her anymore. I'm sure Damon can find a use for her."

"What are you talking about?" Caroline asked stunned. She had never heard Stefan sound so cold, especially where Elena was concerned. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with me, Caroline," Stefan replied as he began slowly circling her. "I've simply stopped denying what I am. I wasn't always a bunny-eating bore with a permanent 'serious vampire look' on my face." As he said this, Stefan began to trail his fingers over Caroline's back and shoulders. She wasn't sure what to do. She didn't want to make him angry by trying to escape, but staying and finding out what he wanted didn't seem like the best idea either.

"I'll let you in on a little secret," Stefan said as his hand followed the shape of her collarbone. "I used to love killing. I loved the way people cowered before me. I enjoyed hunting, Caroline. The blood made me feel invincible and I was never happier than when I was draining the life out of someone. All I thought about was the taste of blood."

Though hearing Stefan talk of killing with so much passion horrified Caroline, she could not stop the blood from rushing to her eyes at the thought of feeding. Ripper Stefan did not seem quite the same as Damon on human blood. From what Caroline remembered of Damon when he terrorized her and especially his actions now, she didn't think he really loved killing. Damon seemed to kill for shock value or to remind himself that he was not human even if he felt like one. He had killed Mason to throw Katherine off, to show he still had control of the situation. He always seemed to kill for some strategic purpose, but deep down it was still so obvious that he felt guilt. Killing was like an act he put on to prove to himself and everyone else that he was a monster. He had almost seemed relieved that he didn't have to play the villain anymore after Stefan went with Klaus. Stefan was different. He talked about killing with an almost lustful tone.

"Stefan, that's not who you are," Caroline whispered as she tried to keep her face from vamping out any further. Stefan stopped circling her and wrapped his right hand around Caroline's throat.

"That's exactly who I am," Stefan replied, gazing intently into Caroline's eyes. "And it's who you are too." As if to prove his point, Stefan bared his fangs, took his thumb from her throat, pierced it with his fangs and slowly spread his blood on her lips. Caroline could no longer resist the blood rushing to her eyes so she bared her fangs and licked the blood from her lips, all while staring into Stefan's eyes.

"Incredible," Stefan said as he watched Caroline's face transform. "You've never gotten to be a real vampire, Caroline. But you're strong and new enough that we could teach you to be a real hunter. I know you feel the hunger just as much as I do. You must have felt a surge of power when you killed that man at the carnival. You weren't crying in that bathroom just because you killed a man, but because you were afraid of how much you'd enjoyed it. I remember that wild hunger in your eyes that night you attacked Matt in the woods. Deep down, you know what it's like to enjoy drinking someone's blood."

Caroline cringed as she thought of those times she lost control, but as much as she wished it weren't so, she knew Stefan words held some truth.


	3. Indecent Proposal

"Besides, what's keeping you here?" Stefan demanded. "Matt clearly wants nothing to do with you now that he knows what you are. And judging from the way Tyler had his hands all over that mousy brunette when he left Elena's, he's clearly gotten over his little crush on you."

Caroline flinched at Stefan's last words and she put her hands on his chest to push him away, but his fervent stare and his hand on her throat held her fast.

"Your mother will never really trust you knowing what you are," Stefan continued. "And what about your so-called friends? I doubt a single one of them has stopped being self-centered for even a second to make sure you're all right.

At this, Caroline looked away. Had she not been thinking the same things as she drove home from the party? She was always taking care of everyone else, but not one of them seemed concerned about her. Hell, even Elena and Bonnie didn't seem to care. When they asked about her relationship with her mother, they always listened with far-away looks on their faces. It was like they asked because they knew they should, but were too concerned with their own lives to listen to the answer.

"You deserve more," Stefan said softly, snapping Caroline out of her reverie. "For once you could worry about yourself instead of everyone else. Plus, I know you've always had a little crush on me. And now that I don't have Elena to distract me, I don't know how I ever ignored you."

As Stefan said this, his left hand grazed her collarbone and then he slowly trailed his fingers down her body, between her breasts and over her stomach. When his hand reached the waist of her panties, he suddenly slipped his fingers into the band and pulled her body forward. Caroline gasped as Stefan brought her flush against him. She thought of pulling away, but she was captivated by the desire in Stefan's emerald green eyes. She hadn't thought of Stefan as anything more than a friend in a long time, but as she stood against him, she could not help but react to the feeling of his sculpted muscles under his clothes. He was so strong and he had been the reason she survived after she turned. She had missed him so much while he had been gone and the thought of letting him leave frightened her. He had spent so long controlling his bloodlust and to see him taking so much joy in it now made Caroline wonder. Stefan had never seemed more alive than he was right now. He didn't have to worry about what other people wanted or feel ashamed of what he was. He just reveled in his existence and Caroline couldn't help but envy his freedom.

"Come with me, Caroline," Stefan said with yearning. "You're strong and confident and controlled—you belong with people who can appreciate just how extraordinary you are." With that, Stefan placed both of his hands on the sides of Caroline's face and pressed his lips hard against her mouth. After the initial shock, Caroline felt desire ignite inside her and just as she was about to deepen the kiss, Stefan pulled away.

"I'll come back tomorrow for your answer," Stefan said softly. With that, he disappeared at vampire speed and all that was left was the taste of his lips and traces of his scent on Caroline's body.

Caroline stood for a few moments thinking of what Stefan had said. Why stay? She was just a danger or a bother to everyone she knew. Tyler would probably be the only one who actually missed her, but he already seemed to be moving on. She had spent so much time worrying about everyone else and trying to control her hunger that the thought of letting go seemed so comforting. Just then, Caroline heard her mother open the front door. She listened as the Sheriff ascended the stairs, knocked on her door and poked her head in.

"How was the party, honey?" she asked. When Caroline turned to answer, she saw that same far-away look on her mother's face that she had seen so many times with Elena and Bonnie.

"Fine," Caroline sighed with resignation.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just thinking some things over."


	4. The Morning After

Caroline awoke the next morning to the sounds of her cell phone ringing. She groaned, rolled over to grab it off her nightstand and answered it with a sleepy, "Hello?"

"Hey, Caroline," the voice on the other end said, "sorry if I woke you up." Caroline pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at its screen through bleary eyes. Its clock told her it was 10am and its caller ID told her it was Tyler.

"Hello, Tyler," she said with an exasperated sigh, "you actually did wake me up. But now that you've done it, what do you want?"

He let out a surprised "oh" before clearing his throat and continuing, a bit less sure.

"I just wanted to see what time you want to do our usual dinner at the Grill tonight."

Caroline was still a little groggy, so it took her a second to remember that the moon would be full tonight. For a second, she considered accepting the invitation. Tyler could be so brooding on the nights before the full moon and Caroline would always make it her goal to make him laugh at least once during the meal. He would always look so grateful afterwards that she had taken the time to make him feel better. Plus she would always pull their waitress aside to make sure to buy him a muffin or something so that when he finally woke up in the morning and could barely stand, she'd have something to offer him. But all that tenderness evaporated when the image of Tyler's hands on Slutty Sophie's ass during last night's party flashed through her mind.

"I actually can't tonight, Ty," she responded a little coldly. "I promised to help clean up after the party and it was much bigger than I expected, so it'll probably take a while. Do you mind if I meet you at the cellar around sunset?"

"Oh, ok," he said sounding disappointed. "I'll see you then. Bye."

"Bye," she responded. Caroline briefly felt bad as she hung up the phone, but she knew that if she went to dinner to have a conversation with him she would just end up acting all jealous and mean about the fact that he brought a date to the party.

She stretched, climbed out of bed and went to her dresser to pick out some clothes, deciding on jeans, a red shirt and some tennis shoes. She wanted casual and comfortable since cleaning the Salvatore mansion would probably take hours and she wasn't eager to stand around in the woods in heels waiting for Tyler to transform back into a human at 3 am.

Before making breakfast, she decided to give Damon a call to see if he's decent. No that's the wrong word. Ready for her to come over to clean while he stands there making snarky comments and drinking blood out of a tumbler might be the more accurate qualification.

"Hello, Blondie," he says dismissively when he picks up on the fourth ring.

"Hello, Damon," she replies and ignores his tone. "I just wanted to see if you're ready for me to come over to start the post-party clean up. Maybe I can pick up a body bag on the way for the impressionable high-schooler you probably unleashed your charm upon last night." She says the last part as sweetly and innocently as she can muster. She can practically hear Damon's smug little smirk when he replies.

"No need, Blondie. Elena's already started. How about you rustle us up some breakfast though? I'll take some O- and Elena..." She hears him ask Elena what she wants and Caroline takes a moment to raise an eyebrow at the fact that Elena's there so early after such a late night. He finally continues saying, "she'll take a veggie omelet with a side of bacon and wheat toast from the Grill. And step on it, Blondie, those little finger foods you ordered for the party last night didn't exactly add up to a meal."

Before she can give him a piece of her mind, he hangs up on her without so much as a please or thank you. She calls him an ass under her breath and rolls her eyes before grabbing her keys to head to the Grill. When she gets there, she puts in Elena's order before requesting a yogurt parfait and a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel with butter for herself. She had a blood bag before leaving the house, but old habits die hard and she still likes the taste of human food. Plus it helps takes the edge off her bloodlust.

As she waits, she spots Matt in the corner clearing one of the few tables that have been used this morning. She gives him a little wave and smile when he turns in her direction, but he frowns when he sees her and picks up his pace to escape into the kitchen that much faster. Caroline's face falls at his reaction and she feels a small pang of sadness at the memory of the way he first deliberately ignored her and then baited her about Tyler dancing with Slutty Sophie at the party last night. She hates being reminded how quickly and definitively his affection for her turned to disdain after he discovered she was a vampire. She'd never really thought they would last forever, but that hadn't meant the thought they might hadn't crossed her mind once or twice during their relationship.

Finally, the food came and she headed to the Salvatore boarding house. When Caroline arrived, she headed to the kitchen expecting to find Damon and Elena and was puzzled when she didn't, especially since the mess seemed worst there. She set the food on the kitchen counter and went in search of them, walking around the bottom floor and deciding to head upstairs when she didn't find them. She'd explicitly told every guest that the second floor was strictly off-limits, but there were always a couple of horny teenagers who didn't have the decency to take it home.

As she walked down the hall, she nearly passed the closed door of Stefan's room, but she suddenly stopped when she caught the thinnest whiff of the same, woodsy scent she had noticed on him last night. The memory sent a quick thrill down her spine and she stared at the doorknob for a second before reaching out to it, slipping inside the room and closing the door softly behind her.


	5. Rewind

She was instantly enveloped by the scent,  _his_ scent, and she leaned against the back of the door with her eyes shut. After a few moments she let out a sigh and started to slowly look around the room.

A few things were out of place, as if someone had thrown some of its contents in a fit of rage. Books were strewn upon the floor, a hat stand lay on its side near the door, but Caroline could still see the underlying organization. The bed was made; no articles of clothing were strewn upon the ground. Books seemed to cover every inch of spare space: filling multiple shelving units, sitting in stacks on his desk and near his bed. Candles covered nearly as many surfaces despite the fact that the numerous lamps would provide ample light. She ponders this for a moment and then remembers one night shortly before Tyler turned when she and Stefan were sitting in the living room of the boarding house after a hunt. They were alone in the house and they had decided to have a post-hunt drink.

_"What can I get you?" Stefan asked._

_"Um, bourbon, neat," she replied as she took off her jacket and plopped down on the couch. Stefan raised an eyebrow at her, his hands frozen on a bottle of vodka and a glass. She pursed her lips and cocked her head to the side. He gave a little shrug, smiled and then poured some into two glasses._

_"Well, this liquor is almost as old as you are, so I hope you're not just showing off," he said with a playful smile. He handed her the drink and set down his own on the table in front of the couch. He walked over to the fireplace and threw some matches on the logs sitting there._

_"Could you turn off that light for me, Caroline?" he said, gesturing to the lamp beside the couch she had turned only moments ago._

_"Um, sure, but...isn't it going to be a little too dark in here?"_

_"At first, yes, but I've just always preferred natural light and firelight to the electric kind. That's what I grew up with. I actually still like to write by candlelight."_

_"What do you write about?" Caroline asked as she clicked off the lamp and watched his silhouette as he turned toward her and walked leisurely across the room._

_"Oh, everything," he shrugged. He grabbed his drink again and sat down next to her. "I started keeping journals when I was a child and now I do it to keep the years straight in my head. Memories are important. My past is always going to be a part of who I am in the present. If I don't remember that, it's too easy to fall back into bad patterns."_

_"So," he said as he rested his head on the heel of his hand, "are you getting used to eating cute defenseless bunnies?" Caroline gave him a little shove on the shoulder and he let out a small laugh._

_"I don't think I'll ever feel any less like a psycho-killer doing that," she smiled and took a moment to sip her drink, "but I'm getting used to the whole blood bag thing. My first couple of days back at school, I didn't want to bring any with me because I was still kind of freaked out by the whole thing. But after a while I realized I was spending whole classes plotting how I could compel people into coming to a hidden spot with me and letting me drink from them." She let out a nervous sigh and Stefan gave a little half smile in response to encourage her to go on. "I seriously spent all of English one day staring at the back of Dana's neck and working out a plan to keep her behind in gym later that day so I could do it. I didn't hear a word Mr. Howard said. After that, I decided my grades would be a lot better if I just found a way to sneak one during the day."_

_She shrugged and took another drink. Stefan looked at her for a long moment and then spoke._

_"I understand the feeling," he said quietly. "When I first started hunting again after I...slipped up a few weeks ago, I did the same thing." He took a drink and turned his gaze from Caroline's face to the now steadily burning fire. "I was hunting in the woods one day and I stumbled upon these campers. It was a mother and child. The little boy was crying because he had scraped his knee and the mother was trying to calm him down while she treated the wound. All I could smell was the blood. It was so fresh and warm and pure. I don't know what I would have done, but the boy happened to look up and saw me standing there." Stefan ran a hand through his hair and inhaled. "He saw my red eyes and the way I was standing and he went into full hysterics. I'm sure I scared him half to death, but his reaction snapped me out it and I ran away before I could do anything."_

_Stefan had taken his eyes from the fire and they now focused on his lap where both of his hands were clenched around his glass of bourbon. Caroline set down her own drink and hesitated for a moment before slowly placing her hands over Stefan's on each side of the tumbler. He glanced up at Caroline the moment she touched him and she gave him a sympathetic smile. He smiled back and exhaled as he let the built up tension out of his shoulders. They sat that way for a while, lost in their own thoughts when a clock in the hall suddenly began to chime the hour as 10._

_"I should probably get going," Caroline said and began to stand. "I've still got that history reading to do."_

_"I'll walk you out," Stefan said and stood. He set down his drink, helped Caroline put on her jacket and gestured for her to go first. After Stefan opened the door, Caroline stepped out and then turned to face him. They stood there staring at each other for a minute. Caroline knew she should just say goodbye and leave, but she just couldn't make herself do it for some reason. She had been so on edge since she had turned, always worried that she would snap and kill the next person she saw. But she felt comfortable with Stefan, in this house. All that waited for her at home was a mother who would probably kill her if she found out her daughter was a vampire and the empty feeling of knowing she couldn't be with Matt anymore. Finally, Stefan broke the silence._

_"Well, I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow. Same time for hunting tomorrow?" he said._

_"It's a date," she replied and turned to leave._

Caroline smiled at the memory. But she also felt a twinge of pain as she realized how much she missed those hunts with Stefan. Not just the fact that there was someone else who shared her bloodlust and who could help her through it, but the friendship that came with it.

She began to circle the room, looking at the accumulated artifacts of Stefan's life. It was eclectic, to say the least. A wooden chair with a padded seat that looked like it would fit comfortably in the drawing room of a 19th century plantation sat next to a mid-century artifact in the Eames style, probably an original. In one corner, a red Gibson Les Paul sat in a chair, while in the opposite corner, an antique globe sat waiting to be spun.

She approached an armoire just to the right of the door and opened its worn doors to reveal shelves full of Stefan's diaries. She let out a little gasp and then reached out to run her hand along their spines. They stretched back all the way to his childhood, like he'd said. She reached for one near the front marked 1857, she paused to do some quick math and determined he must have been around 10 at the time. She opened a random page and read.

 

**_July 24,_ **

_I went to my first ball tonight. Father didn't want me to go, but Mother begged and pleaded and he allowed it because he always does what she asks. Damon didn't want me to go because he likes teasing me about the fact that he went to two already._

Caroline rolled her eyes and smiled. That sounded like the Damon she knew. She skipped down and continued.

_I don't like dancing, but Mother said it was rude if I didn't so she made me dance with Emily Forbes. She's a girl in my grade at school. We don't really talk, but all the boys in my class think she is real pretty._

Caroline just about screamed when she read her last name. It was both strange and exciting to think that Stefan had grown up with one of her ancestors. She read on eagerly.

_I think so to. Her eyes are the same color as the sky when there aren't any clouds and she has this curly blond hair that reminds me of Mr. Gilburt's hay field in summer. She was wearing a green dress and all the parents kept saying how nice she looked._

_We had one dance and I didn't like it at first because I wanted to go back to the table with all the food and be with Damon and my friends, but she was such a good dancer that I started to like it. She says her Mom wants her to be ready for Miss Mystic Falls in a couple years. I think she will win._

Young Stefan went on to talk about the rest of the ball, but Caroline couldn't stop thinking about what it must have been like to see Stefan so young and carefree. And to think he'd danced with her great- great- great-grandmother! She couldn't help but feel connected to her and even to have a sense of pride that she was carrying on the family name so well. Miss Mystic Falls indeed.

She placed the journal down and picked up another, marked 1968.

 

**_January 11_ **

_I landed in Vietnam today. This time I'm not driving an ambulance like in Germany or flying a Sabre like in Korea. This time I wanted to be close enough to the action, to the blood. They say this war is bloody and brutal so nobody will notice if a few bodies go missing. I'll have free reign here._

_I didn't really plan to join the war. I was making out just fine in New York City; it's like women deliberately walk alone at night hoping to get snatched by vampires and when they don't, there's always some lug stumbling out of a bar who's too drunk to make it home. But one night I was listening to some kid bitch that his draft card had been called and he had to report the next day. He must have been scared out of his mind because he was already sauced when I sat down and he had at least five more after. He was talking about how some kid from his neighborhood had been so mangled in an explosion that all the army sent back was a part of his left foot and a chunk of torso._

_That was when it hit me. Why bother staying in the city making kills and then trying to find a place to dump the bodies? In Vietnam, I could feed on whole units without having to worry how much I tore apart the bodies. Hell, the more carnage the better. Easier to blame it on Charlie._

_So I dragged the kid out of the bar, snapped his neck and took his draft card. I almost got drunk myself on his blood with all that alcohol in it. Next day, I showed up at the draft board and compelled them into believing I was Frank Carlson, 18, of Defiance, Ohio._

_I flew right through basic because I've been through this whole rigmarole before and then got sent out with Alpha troop, 4th squadron, 7th cavalry, 25th infantry. My commanding officer says my unit is going to head out on our first op in two days. It's just a surveillance mission, but I have a feeling there will be a couple of casualties anyway._

Caroline couldn't read another word. She set down the book and tore her gaze from its battered cover. Her hand moved to cover her mouth and when she touched her face, she noticed it was damp. She hadn't even realized she was crying. She suddenly felt faint and stumbled toward Stefan's desk. She sat down in the chair and put her head in her hands. The man who had written that diary was nothing like the Stefan she knew. At least, not the one who had taught her to control her urges. But he did resemble the man who had appeared in her room last night.  _That_ Stefan had the same disregard for human life, the same bloodlust. How could the sweet boy who had danced with her ancestor morphed into such a monster?

When she opened her eyes, she noticed another diary sitting on the desktop. And she was immediately drawn to a single word: Caroline.


	6. A Good Friend

Caroline couldn't see anything beyond her name written in Stefan's looping, even script. She reached out and brought the diary closer. For a second, she felt a pang of guilt. It was one thing to pry into his life from decades ago, but it was something else completely to read his personal thoughts about the present—especially when they had to do with her. But after what she'd just read, she needed to remember the Stefan who was her friend.

**_May 31_ **

_We finally saw the consequences of Damon killing Mason Lockwood today. The fight with his former pack was brutal, but Damon and I were able to handle them pretty easily. Besides, just when the fight was starting to turn in their favor, Klaus's warlock, Jonas, stopped them. For some reason, Klaus wants us alive. We still don't know what his motives are, but at least he's keeping us safe long enough to figure out a way to stop him from using Elena in the ritual to break the Sun and Moon curse._

_My more immediate concern is Caroline. Every day, I'm surprised at how strong she is. But what happened to her today would be tough for anyone._

_She came to the house this morning saying Tyler had found out that she was lying to him about the existence of other vampires and she asked me to speak to him on her behalf. She didn't quite come out and say it, but I think he means more to her than she's willing to admit. Whether from a lingering devotion to Matt or an unawareness of her own feelings, I don't know. And I frankly think the feelings are mutual._

_Tyler's young and confused and frightened, I understand his anger. The one person he thought could understand what it means to be controlled by a supernatural force has been systematically lying to him to protect other people who have hurt him and his family. He has every right to be angry, but what I tried to impress upon him today was that Caroline lied to him to protect them both. Nothing about what she did was malicious._

_I have no doubt Damon would have killed Tyler if he considered him a threat to our lives here. She took it upon herself to protect Tyler and helped him through his first transformation despite how dangerous that would be for her. I think once he gets over that initial sense of betrayal, he'll realize her strength and willingness to help others make her a good friend when things get tough. I just don't know if Caroline will still be able to forgive what happened._

_Unfortunately, Tyler managed to contact Jules while we were having our little conversation and she and the pack struck back at us by taking Caroline as a hostage. I don't like to take pleasure in killing. It only reminds me of how I feel when I turn into him, the Ripper. But after seeing the state Caroline was in when we got her back, I can't say I feel particularly guilty either._

_Caroline has adapted to being a vampire so well and matured so quickly, I sometimes forget how young she is. I brought her home after the battle and she was so clearly hanging by a thread emotionally, I just felt so powerless in the face of her trauma. I offered to stay with her so she wouldn't be alone to replay the hours of torture she had endured, but she put on a good front. She said she's not "girly little Caroline anymore" and while I can't disagree, I was still worried what trying to deal with that kind of trauma alone—without expressing how horrible it was for her—wouldn't allow her to properly deal with what had happened._

_That was one of the hardest things for me to learn about being a vampire: allowing myself to feel even though the fact that my emotions were heightened meant they could be nearly unbearable. Every time I've slipped back into being the Ripper, it was because I tried to go it alone and every single time, Lexi's friendship was what brought me back to myself and convinced me to not flip the switch._

_I didn't want Caroline to have to learn that lesson the hard way, so I brought Elena and Bonnie over for an impromptu sleepover. She pretty much lost her composure the minute she saw them. I hope it helps. After what that girl has been through in the last few months, she deserves a little comfort._

Caroline set down the diary and ran through her own memories of that day. Even now, she could almost feel the splinters Brady had shot her with over and over again, the vervain that had burned her skin. Nearly as vivid were her memories of the hurt and sadness she had felt when Tyler had just stood there, the sense of disappointment when he'd come to her house later that night and had nothing but excuses.

She had never felt more fragile than she had that night. When Stefan had appeared at her door, she was just about at her breaking point. She hadn't realized how much she had needed her friends until Elena and Bonnie embraced her. That day had been so full of horror and disappointment and on that night, and for many nights after, she thought that that time with her friends had been what saved her. She would be eternally grateful for Stefan's friendship and his ability to realize she needed her friends without her needing to ask.

Suddenly, the desire to see Stefan, to be in his strong, caring presence hit Caroline so forcefully she nearly ran out of the room to go home to wait for his return. But she knew he wouldn't be there for hours, if at all. She might as well occupy her time until then.

She stood from the desk and walked toward his bedroom door. Before closing it, she turned back to the room to take one last look. She closed her eyes and took a final slow deep breath of the air (still so permeated with his scent even three months after he'd left Mystic Falls) and shut the door behind her.


	7. Confessions

Caroline resumed her search for Damon and Elena, pausing for a second in the darkened hallway to listen for them. She could hear a faint conversation on the other end of the hall, in Damon's room. She couldn't make out any words, but the two voices-one male, one female-must belong to Damon and Elena. As she walked to the slightly ajar door, their voices grew louder and she could Elena speaking softly.

"What about Stefan?" she asked sadly.

"What  _about_  Stefan?" Damon responded harshly. "He's been gone for three months terrorizing half the eastern seaboard with Klaus. He doesn't care about us anymore, Elena."

Before she could eavesdrop anymore, Caroline knocked on the door and called out to them saying, "Hey guys, it's Caroline," and opening the door. She saw them jump back from each other slightly when she entered the room.

"Hey, Blondie," Damon said while continuing to stare intensely at Elena. She, on the other hand, seemed determined not to look at him and directed her attention to Caroline.

"Hey, Caroline. Thanks for picking up breakfast."

"Sure, no problem," Caroline responded. "Gotta get our strength up for all this cleaning," she said with a small laugh, hoping to break the tension in the room. Elena gave a self-conscious laugh and walked out of the room. Damon stood staring at Elena through the whole exchange and continued to do so for a second after she left it. When he finally took notice of Caroline, she gave him a threatening scowl.

"Oops, I forgot to bring that O- you asked for," she said sarcastically.

He scowled right back before responding, "well, that's what I get for leaving the important stuff up to a blonde cheerleader." He smirked at her and then gestured for her to go through the door first. She narrowed her eyes at him and then moved to follow Elena's retreating footsteps. When they got downstairs, she and Elena started in on breakfast while Damon went downstairs to procure a blood bag.

"So you're here early...," Caroline said, breaking the silence.

"Well, I just stayed here last night instead of going home," Elena responded. Caroline raised an eyebrow at this, but her friend seemed very preoccupied with her food. "The party went pretty late and I just didn't feel like driving home." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and then looked up at Caroline before adding quickly, "So how come you left the party so early?"

Caroline frowned. The answer was simple enough: Tyler had moved on. But saying that would mean forcing herself to admit that she had probably lost her chance with him.

"Oh, I think setting up just took a lot more out of me than I expected," she lied. "I was kind of exhausted by the time everybody got here and the music and the people were all just a little too much for me."

"You sure it didn't have to do with that sexy little brunette Wolf Boy brought to the party?" Damon interrupted as he walked into the room. He tipped his glass of blood at Caroline and then gave her a wink.

"Damon!" Elena exclaimed. Caroline's eyes narrowed as she watched him walk into the room. Of course he knows the truth, Caroline thought to herself, Damon may be an ass, but he's always been good at spotting people's emotional wounds. Two can play that game.

"So did you guys make anymore progress on finding Stefan after the party last night?" she asked. Damon's eyebrows shot up in surprise and Elena dropped the knife she was using to cut her omelet. After a moment, Damon regained his composure, spared a quick glance in Elena's direction and gave Caroline an admiring smirk.

"Nothing new there," he responded. "We were tracking their movements by the trail of torn up bodies Stefan's been leaving, but that's suddenly gone cold. The last killings happened nearly a month ago in North Carolina. My guess is that they've either left the country or gotten a bit more careful."

"Then what's the next step?" Caroline asked.

"There isn't one," Damon said with a shrug and took a sip from his glass. "Clearly, they don't want to be found. And what would we even do if we found them? Stefan isn't exactly the nicest guy when he's on the human stuff. He'd just as likely kill us as listen to reason. So unless they come back to town, which would probably be dangerous for all of us, or Stefan fulfills his years of servitude to Klaus and comes back in 10 years, I think we just have to wait."

"Wait...so that's it? You guys are just giving up?" Caroline replied incredulously. She looked from Damon (who was staring broodingly into his glass) to Elena (who continued to stare down at her food without actually eating it), stunned they were even entertaining the thought. "We can't just give up on him," she continued. "He's saved all of us so many times, the least we can do is try to save him from being Klaus's," she paused, struggling to find the right word, "minion!" Elena suddenly broke her silence and turned fiercely upon her friend.

"What do you expect us to do Caroline?!" She yelled. "None of us have heard a word from him since the day he left. He's probably shut off his emotions by now and is so consumed by his bloodlust that he doesn't even care about us anymore. So unless you know where he and Klaus have disappeared to, stop accusing us of not caring!"

"Well, what if I...," Caroline started to scream back, but then stopped herself. Why  _should_  she tell them about her visit from Stefan? They'd already given up on him.

"Forget it," Caroline finally said. "Do whatever you want." She stood up and started walking out of the room. "I'm going to start cleaning up in the sitting room."

For the next few hours, they cleaned mostly in silence. There was the occasional exchange-where's the mop? In the closet to the left of the kitchen-but friendly conversation was pretty much out of the question. Even Damon refrained from his usual snarky comments and was nothing but helpful.

They were almost finished when Damon left Elena and Caroline alone in the kitchen as he went to throw out the massive number of trash bags they'd filled. Elena was the first to break the silence.

"Caroline, I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier," she said quietly.

"I'm sorry too, Elena," Caroline replied. "I know you guys have been doing everything you can. I just can't believe this is it. I mean, this is  _Stefan_. The guy who taught me to be a vampire and saved my life. The guy who sacrificed his freedom so Damon could live. The guy you've been in love with since the day you met him. I just never thought you and Damon would ever stop searching." Elena sighed and stared at the ground.

"It's not like I've stopped loving him, Caroline, it's just..." Elena ran a hand over her face as she searched for the right words, "it's just that I don't know what to do while I wait for him to come back. I can't stop living my life. If he really is gone for 10 years, I'm going to be 28 when he comes back. Plus, I don't even know if he'll come back the same Stefan I fell in love with and...what if by then, I want something else?" Elena's eyes darted up to give Caroline a look that was apologetic, questioning and deeply sad.

Before Caroline could respond, Damon returned to grab the last trash bags. Elena glanced nervously at him as he moved to pick them up and for just a moment, their eyes locked. Damon froze in place as the corner of his mouth turned up slightly and he stared at Elena tenderly. She smiled in return for a few moments and then suddenly glanced at Caroline, seeming to remember she was in the room before shifting her stance, turning her eyes to the floor and crossing her arms in front of her.

And suddenly Caroline knew. Elena wasn't talking about her feelings changing in the future, they already had changed. Damon and Elena had been acting strange all day, but before she had just chalked it up to the fight they'd all had earlier. They had seemed so quiet and watchful around each other. Their usual easy friendship now seemed altered, like they were circling each other, waiting. The moment Damon left the room, Caroline rounded on her friend.

"Ok, Elena, seriously, what happened between you and Damon last night?" she demanded. Elena took a step back and looked startled. "And don't lie to me or I will walk right out of this house and our friendship is done." Elena flinched and took a deep breath before answering.

"It was after the party. I was getting my things out of Stefan's room and all of a sudden I just lost it, Caroline. I've felt so empty and alone since he left and I just couldn't take it anymore." Elena paused and covered her mouth with her hand as tears began to form in her eyes. She paused to collect herself before going on. "I miss him so much and I don't even know if he's still alive or if he even loves me anymore. I guess Damon heard me crying and he tried to calm me down. He came into the room and he just held me and I felt so safe for the first time in months. He's been so kind and caring to me though all of this and...I didn't even realize what I was doing until I did it, but...I kissed him." Caroline gasped and her hand flew to her mouth.

"So, what, you're in love with him now," Caroline asked accusingly.

"No, I mean, I don't know, Caroline. We stopped before things went further, but I care about him and he cares about me. And he's  _here_. I don't know what it is I feel for him, but I know there's something there and I want to find out what that is. I might have a chance to be happy and I just...I can't be in love with a ghost, Caroline."

"So you're giving up on Stefan so you can sleep with his brother?" Caroline responded.

"No, it's nothing like that! You have no idea how guilty we both feel. I thought Damon was going to break everything in Stefan's room last night he was so angry with himself. We both love Stefan so much, but he abandoned both of us and..."

"So now you're abandoning him," Caroline cut her off. "And he didn't  _abandon_  you guys. He  _sacrificed_  himself to save his brother's life and he tried to sacrifice himself to save Jenna too, in case you forgot. So go ahead and make your excuses, I don't want to hear them anymore." Caroline stormed out of the kitchen and grabbed her purse. As she rounded the corner in the hallway to the front door, Damon stepped in the house and saw her coming.

"Leaving so soon, Blondie?" he asked. But instead of responding, Caroline felt her right hand ball into a fist and she hit him so hard in the jaw that Damon went flying across the room before hitting a side table and knocking over the antique lamp sitting atop it. She continued without pausing and slammed the door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, thanks for reading this far. I swear we will see Stefan again soon.


	8. Down in the Darkness

Caroline was so angry, she nearly tore the door off her car when she opened it and climbed in. She started the car, but sat in the driver's seat for a few moments collecting herself.

How could Elena do this to Stefan? And with Damon of all people. Caroline understood how it could happen. She had fallen victim to the older Salvatore's charms herself, but that had been before she knew what a monster he was. Elena knew full well how horrible Damon could be and still she was considering choosing him. Over Stefan, who was so good and loving. But then Caroline remembered the way Stefan had acted with her last night and the way he so callously talked about killing that boy in 1968 just so he could find an easier way to kill.

Caroline shook her head to get the thought out of her head and glanced down at the clock on her the dashboard. It was nearly 8pm and the sun was nearly touching the horizon already. She would have to hurry if she wanted to get to the Lockwood cellar before dark. She drove quickly through town and by the time she'd maneuvered her car through the woods to the cellar's entrance, the last flickers of light were nearly faded from the sky.

As she descended the stairs, she could hear the faint rattling of chains. She closed the new reinforced door they had installed after Tyler nearly escaped during his first transformation and was enveloped by the eerie quiet and dank smell of the decrepit cellar. Perhaps it was because of how horrible it was for her to watch Tyler go through so much pain in there, but she had always felt there was something haunted and sinister about the place. Though it was usually warmer beneath the ground, sometimes, as she waited in the woods for Tyler to return to human form, she found the cellar so oppressive and tomb-like that she had to run out into the woods. Not that they were much better—no amount of repeating to herself that she was probably the most dangerous creature around could stop her from jumping at the slightest noise.  
But Tyler needed her. Transforming was traumatic enough without having to endure it alone. She would sit in that cellar for days if it meant she could lessen his pain even a little.

When she rounded the corner to the caged-in area, she came upon Tyler, turned slightly away from her and fastening the final manacles onto his wrists. He'd already changed into the the biking shorts he wore during the early stages of his transformation. He didn't notice her at first and Caroline stood there a moment admiring his physique. Damn, he was handsome. Tyler had always been a jock and his body was a testament to all the work he did on it. Thank goodness he'd gained enough control over the turning process that he now knew when to take off those bike shorts so they wouldn't get destroyed. Caroline had gotten an eyeful those first couple times and she couldn't deny that she was impressed.

"Hey, Tyler," she said as she opened the barred door and stepped into the cell.

"Hey, Caroline," he said with a relieved smile. "I was starting to think you weren't coming."

"I would never! Someone's got to drive you home and tuck you in tomorrow morning," she teased. Tyler gave a small, appreciative chuckle and then sat down in his usual spot on the dirt floor.

"So how'd clean up duty go?" Caroline's smile faltered and she flinched at the memory of her fight with Elena. She took her usual position on the stone stairs before responding.

"Even though there was more trash than I ever imagined, the cleaning itself wasn't much of a problem considering two super-fast vampires were doing most of it. I'd say the main drama happened when I punched Damon so hard that he went flying across the living room."

"What?!" Tyler exclaimed. He sat tensed for a moment and then laughed before relaxing. "Well, I'm sure he deserved it. What did he do this time?" Caroline narrowed her eyes before responding.

"I'll tell you, but this time you have to swear that you'll actually remember the difference between what you're allowed to admit you know and what you have to pretend not to know." Tyler rolled his eyes before nodding and giving her an exasperated smile. Caroline smiled mischievously back and continued. "So Damon and Elena were acting totally weird all day, like super shady. When I first got there, I walked in on them having some tense conversation about Stefan, but I thought it had to do with the search. But as we were eating breakfast, Damon starts talking about giving up because they've lost the trail. So I start getting mad because that is just ridiculous, but then Elena goes bonkers and starts yelling at me to stop accusing them of not caring. I should have realized something was up then, but I was so angry I just walked out of the room to start cleaning. So later in the day, Elena starts apologizing for freaking out, but she keeps talking about how she can't stop living until he comes back—if he even comes back at all—because she might not even want him anymore when that happens. And then Damon walks in and they made googly eyes at each other so I knew something happened at the party last night. I demanded Elena tell me and she says that she kissed him and she doesn't know what it means and he's so supportive, blah, blah, blah. I don't want to hear her excuses and as I'm leaving, Damon says some snarky comment, so I punched him in the face. Can you believe that?!"0

Instead of the shocked outburst Caroline expected, Tyler sat looking stunned for a moment before a more pensive look came over his face.

"I'm actually not surprised," he started. Caroline opened her mouth to interrupt, but Tyler held up a hand and continued. "I mean, Damon's a total dick, but you said they've kissed before. Elena's clearly got some weird feelings for him and he's definitely got some kind of obsession with her. They can only hang around each other so long before things start to change. And Elena's got a point. What if Stefan doesn't come back? She's just supposed to wait around? No way he comes back after a decade with that nut job and isn't a different guy than when he left."

Caroline stared at Tyler, totally aghast. All she could manage was a scoff of disbelief in response. His features softened when he saw how upset she was getting.

"Listen," he continued, "I know he's your friend and he helped you get used to being a vampire. Believe me, I of all people know how important it is to have that kind of support." Caroline glanced up at him and smiled at the subtle compliment. "But you're at least going to have to consider that he's not coming back."

As much as Caroline wanted to hurl back that Stefan already was back and probably not too far from her house at that very moment, she couldn't deny that at least part of her worried that she might never again see the kind, caring Stefan she knew.

"Let's just talk about something else," Caroline said and waved her hand angrily. "What did you do today?" Tyler, who had leaned closer to Caroline during their conversation, suddenly leaned back and shifted his eyes to look anywhere except in her direction.

"Well, Sophie wanted to pick up a few things before school starts, so l, uh...drove her around to a few stores," he said bashfully. Caroline suddenly mirrored Tyler's stiff-backed discomfort. The anger she'd felt last night came back with full force.

"Huh, I didn't think you were the purse-carrying, whipped type," she spit back spitefully. For a second, Tyler looked taken aback at her meanness, but then a defiant air came over his features.

"Well, that's what I do for my girlfriend," he replied. Now it was Caroline's turn to look taken aback and the ache of regret began to form in her chest.

"Wow, I knew Sophie liked to move fast, but I didn't think she was the commitment type. It can't be that serious considering this is the first I'm hearing about it."

"Well, for your information we've been hanging out for the last few weeks and we just made it official last night."

"So you mean she finally slept with you last night?" Caroline interjected

"Hey, what the hell is your problem?"

"I don't have a problem, I just didn't think you had a thing for dumb sluts."

"That is uncalled for, Caroline," he said and moved to stand. "Sophie is a nice girl and you have no right to talk about her that way. You're acting like I betrayed you or something."

"I never said that," she threw back and stood, "I just thought..."

"In case you forgot," Tyler interrupted, "you're the one who turned me down. I'm just supposed to wait for you to come around when you've done nothing in the last few months to indicate that you were changing your mind? What are you trying to say?"

"I..." Caroline managed to mutter weakly. They were standing just inches from each other. Suddenly, Caroline grabbed Tyler's face and brought her mouth hard onto his. For a moment, Tyler was so stunned that he just stood there, but then he roughly intwined his left hand in her hair and encircled her waist with his right arm with such force that her feet left the ground. They kissed each other hungrily, their tongues sliding around each other and their hands greedily exploring each other's bodies.

But just as suddenly as they'd begun, they stopped. Tyler pushed Caroline off of him and flung himself against the far wall of the cellar. They stood staring at each other, bodies tensed and breathing heavily from the intensity of what they'd just shared. Tyler was gripping the wall as if to keep himself from moving toward her again. Caroline stepped forward but stopped when Tyler quickly raised his hand.

"I can't do this," he said, "I'm with Sophie now."

"But what about us?" Caroline asked pleadingly.

"Caroline, you're my friend and I can't tell you how much your help over the past few months means to me, but I can't. I'm with Sophie now, I'm committed to that. I won't cheat on her. You mean so much to me, but," he paused and shook his head, a look of pain and regret on his face, "I think you should go."

Caroline's eyes filled with tears. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Now that I've been through this a few times, I'm starting to get more of a handle on it. I can't keep putting you in danger by having you stay down here with me. All it would take is one small bite and... I can't risk hurting you knowing there'd be no way to heal you if something went wrong. And it doesn't feel fair to Sophie now. Clearly, there are...feelings between us and I can't betray her trust because I'm scared to face this alone. It's not fair to either of you. I care about you, but I can't be around you right now."

"So what are you saying?" Caroline asked in disbelief, the tears flowing unchecked now.

"I think we need to stay away from each other for awhile," he replied.

Caroline shook her head in disbelief and brought her hand to her mouth to stifle a sob. She wiped the tears from her eyes and quickly turned to leave. Suddenly, she heard a horrible crunching sound and a pained scream from behind her. She turned to see Tyler writhing on the floor, the transformation had begun. She moved toward him on instinct but he stopped her saying, "No, Caroline, I can do this. Please go." She turned and made her way out of the cellar, Tyler's screams growing fainter and fainter as she fastened the barricades behind her.

When she stepped into the woods, the night air was cooler than she'd expected for late summer. She stood for a moment crying into her hands, relaying what had just happened with Tyler. The sound of a twig breaking in the woods behind her snapped Caroline to attention. She whirled around and whispered a tentative, "hello?" but got no response. She suddenly had the feeling someone was watching her, waiting. She ran toward her car as fast as she could and slammed the door behind her. She started the car and made her way home.

It had felt so good to be in Tyler's arms and it wasn't until she kissed him that she realized how much she'd wanted to. But that didn't matter now. She was devastated that Tyler had rebuffed her and angry at herself for making a move on him. She had done exactly the thing she feared and ruined their friendship. Now she was totally alone. Elena was never going to treat her the same after this morning and she wasn't sure she could ever look at her friend the same way again. Bonnie had Jeremy, Matt still hated her. If Stefan left, she would have nobody. Even then, the Stefan who was in her bedroom last night was a totally different guy from the caring best friend she remembered. But she couldn't believe that he was beyond saving. He hadn't given up on her even when he'd had no reason to help her. She wouldn't give up on him like everybody else. She had to try to make him remember who he was. What was keeping her in Falls now? She couldn't bare the thought of seeing Tyler with Sophie. If he wanted space, she'd give it to him.

By the time she parked in front of her house, she'd stopped crying. The moment she stepped into the night air, she caught Stefan's scent. Her heart leapt at the thought that he was near. She ran to her door, unlocked it as fast as she could and zipped up the stairs. She flung her bedroom door open and saw Stefan laying on her bed, his feet crossed and her copy of Perfume in his hands. He set it down and smirked when he saw her.

"I'll go with you," she exclaimed before he could say anything. His smile widened.


	9. Ground Rules

"I didn't expect to see you back so soon," Stefan said as he slid off Caroline's bed. She stared at him, transfixed, as he slowly walked, no,  _prowled_ , toward her. He was wearing an outfit nearly identical to the one he'd worn last night, but this time he wore a black henley, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. She could feel her heartbeat quicken as he approached her. The way he was looking at her, so desirous and tensed as if he was prepared to spring into violence at any moment, both excited and frightened her. When he finally got to her, his smile faltered and was replaced by a look of concern.

"Have you been crying?" he asked. Caroline turned her face from him, but he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him.

"What happened," he demanded, "was it Tyler? Did he do something to you?" Stefan's voice had grown louder as he interrogated her and by the end his fangs were almost bared and blood was starting to fill his eyes. She placed a hand on his chest to calm him.

"It was nothing, Stefan. We had a fight. He didn't do anything. I'm fine." He exhaled and she felt his body relax.

"Well, I'm sure he'll grow to regret that," he said and turned from her to walk across the room again. Caroline tilted her head in confusion as she turned to close her bedroom door, but before she could ask what he meant, Stefan's phone rang. He sat on the edge of her bed before answering. He tersely inquired, "we ready?" in lieu of a greeting. His brow furrowed at what he heard on the other end and he nodded and said, "she's coming with us," before adding, "understood," a few seconds later and then hanging up the phone.

"I take it that was Klaus?" Caroline asked.

"Yep," he replied, "he's excited to meet you and I'll take you to him, but first we've got to set up some ground rules." Caroline raised an eyebrow at this.

"Rules? About what?" she inquired.

"Start packing and I'll tell you," he replied before quickly adding, "and I'm talking a small bag, Caroline. We can buy the rest." She scowled at the implicit criticism and grabbed the large suitcase in her closet before smirking at Stefan's annoyed look and taking a large overnight bag out of the suitcase's front pocket.

"First of all," Stefan began, "you have to sever all contact with everyone in Mystic Falls." Caroline froze with a handful of socks poised over her bag and turned her face to stare at him. She probably should have expected that, but it was still a shocking thought to consider. She had spent her whole life in this town, with these people, unceremoniously leaving that all behind was a disturbing thought. Sensing her hesitation, Stefan spoke again before she could object.

"We can't have anyone following us, Caroline. I doubt Damon and Elena have been able to tear themselves away from each other long enough to search too hard for me, but people are going to notice when you disappear. Especially your mother. And she's got the resources to track you, so it has to be a clean break." Caroline considered the prospect before sighing and finally dropping the socks she had in her hand into her bag.

"Can I at least say goodbye?" she asked sadly. "At least a note or something so she won't worry that I've been kidnapped."

"That's actually a good idea," Stefan said, a little impressed. Caroline gave him an appreciative smile and resumed packing. His eyes followed her as she walked around the room gathering her possessions and she was acutely aware of his gaze. "Second," he continued, "you have to agree to let me train you."

"Train me for what?"

"Oh, this and that," he said and stood. He started making his way toward her, his eyes gliding up and down her body with the same hunger as last night. "The point is, you're going to have to learn how to be a real hunter. That means no more blood bags, no more bunnies." Caroline backed against the door of her closet as Stefan closed in on her, scared of both his words and his physical presence. He placed his hands on either she of her body and pressed himself against her. He ran a few fingers through the strands of her hair before continuing. "You'll get all your blood straight from the vein. You should consider turning off your emotions, it'll make it easier for you."

"I would never do that," she said and turned her eyes from his so she could fight the way his scent and gaze were overwhelming her. "How can you say that, Stefan?" she asked, unable to hide the hurt in her voice. "Don't you remember what you said about how much you hated yourself when you lost control? I don't believe this is who you really are." At this, she placed her right hand gently on his cheek and looked searchingly into his eyes. "The good, caring Stefan I know is in there somewhere. I can help you remember that."

Stefan stared at her for a moment and just when she thought she might have gotten through to him, he grabbed her waist, picked her up and threw her onto her bed. Before she could understand what was happening, he was on top of her. Caroline moved to push him off, but he grabbed her hands and forced them onto the pillows behind her. He leaned down and whispered, "don't move," and the look on his face was so intense, she didn't dare.

"You don't know what it's like," he said, before pushing himself up to straddle her and remove his shirt. "How thrilling it can be to give yourself over to the bloodlust." He stared down at her hungrily and ran his hands over her stomach and breasts. "I want to show you what you're missing." He took hold of her collar with both hands and tore the front of her shirt open to reveal her torso and the nude bra underneath. Caroline gasped at the tearing sound, but soon the only thing on her mind was how much she wanted his hands on her again. Stefan ran his hands up her arms and interlaced their fingers as he lay down on top of her again. He stared down at her and brushed the tip of his nose against hers to signal her to tilt her head back and give him better access to her mouth. He nearly brought his lips to hers before stopping just short. "Say you'll let me show you what it's like to be a real vampire" he whispered seductively. As if to emphasize his words, he ground his hips hard against Caroline's and she couldn't help but let slip a moan as she felt his hardness against her. "Yes," she managed to pant out before returning the gesture and grinding her hips against his.

She felt him smile against her mouth and then felt him run his tongue slowly up over the center of her lips. In the moment she opened her mouth and they crashed their lips together, the errant thought that she liked the way Stefan tasted more than Tyler snapped her back to reality. Stefan was too preoccupied to realize what she was doing and Caroline managed to throw him off of her by using as much force as she could muster. He flew across the room and crashed into her dresser, smashing it and cracking the mirror in the process. After a moment, Stefan began to move toward her again.

"Stefan stop," she yelled sitting up to pressing her back against her headboard. He froze in place and his fists balled at his sides with the effort not to touch her again. They stared at each other, their breathing slowing as the seconds ticked by. Finally, Caroline collected her thoughts enough to speak.

"Stefan, I can't do this right now," she said. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around leaving Mystic Falls and hunting people to deal with this." Stefan stared wistfully for a second longer before relaxing his body and unclenching his fists.

"Fine, but this isn't over," he replied. Change your shirt and collect your things. We should get going." Caroline cautiously stood and walked to her closet to pick another shirt as Stefan replaced his.

She stuffed a few more items in her bag before she was ready to go. Stefan grabbed the bag and headed downstairs to give her a moment. Caroline paused to look back at her room one last time and then sadly closed the door. Downstairs, she grabbed a pen and some stationary to write a farewell letter to her mother. She stared at the blank page, totally bereft of the right thing to say. How do you sum up your love for a parent? Finally, through building tears, she simply wrote:

I have to get away for awhile. I love you so much. — Caroline

Stefan stood waiting at the door. She was almost to him when she paused.

"Wait," she said and ran back into the living room. "I need to get one more thing." Stefan heard a latch open and a door swing open. When Caroline came back into the hall, she was carrying something in her hands and staring at it with reverence.

"What"s that?" Stefan asked. Caroline looked up and he saw tears in her eyes.

"It's a necklace," she replied softly. "It's been passed down in my family for years. I'd always wanted to wear it, but my Mom was so afraid I'd damage it that she kept it in our curio cabinet." She showed Stefan the piece, with its delicate blue topaz surrounded by a bed of diamonds and was shocked to see recognition wash over his face.

"Ah yes," he said fondly, "I remember that. Every time your great-grandmother wore it, everyone would comment on how the stone could never compare to her eyes." He set down her bag and took the necklace in his hands to fasten it around Caroline's neck. After doing so, he set his hands on the sides of her face, wiped away her tears and stared into her eyes. "It doesn't compare to yours either." He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. He pulled back and looked into her eyes again for a second before leaning to pick up her bag. He turned and held out his hand.

"What's next?" she asked before placing her hand in his.

"Now you meet Klaus," he said and led her through the door. She closed it behind her and didn't look back.


	10. Pit Stop

At first, Caroline fought leaving her car behind, but Stefan explained that a car was too recognizable, too easy to track. Still, she wasn't quite convinced until Stefan gave an exasperated sigh and promised that they'd buy her any car she wanted if she would just get in his damn car already. She gave a satisfied smile and climbed into the passenger seat of his sleek, silver BMW roadster without another word. Stefan wondered for a second if that had been her intention all along before climbing into the driver's seat and starting the engine.

"So where are we going?" Caroline asked as she buckled her seat belt.

"You'll see," Stefan responded and smiled. He opened up a little compartment in the center console and retrieved his iPod. "You can play whatever you want," he said and handed it to Caroline. She pressed play and smiled when The Black Keys' first album (her favorite of theirs) began to play.

They headed south for toward North Carolina, mostly in silence. When one album would end, Caroline would select a new one—a little jazz, a little dub step, a little orchestral—she was surprised at the sheer variety of Stefan's collection. When she wasn't setting the soundtrack, she watched Stefan drive. He liked to drive fast and she couldn't help but admire the skill with which he maneuvered the car down the dark, winding roads. The transmission was a manual, so his hands were always in motion, his mind always at work to make sure the vehicle was operating at peak performance. Though his face was set in mild determination, he still seemed totally relaxed, as if he was in complete control.

After two hours, Stefan pulled into a gas station in a small town on the border between Virginia and North Carolina.

"Do you want anything from inside?" Stefan asked through her open window when he finished filling the tank.

"A coffee maybe," Caroline replied, "I'm starting to get a bit drowsy."

"Sure," he said, "cream and sugar, right?" Caroline nodded, pleased that he remembered. He went inside the convenience store and walked over to the coffee machine. He grabbed the largest empty cup but paused to take out his phone and answer it. Caroline tried to use her vampire hearing to eavesdrop on what he was saying, but the engine of another car pulling into the gas station drowned him out. She turned in annoyance to the offending vehicle and saw two high school girls sitting in the front seat of a red Ford Focus and rocking out to Taylor Swift. They got out of the car in a flurry of giggles. Caroline felt a slight pang of sadness as she watched them go in. She might never get a chance to be like that with Elena and Bonnie again. Getting used to life without her friends was going to be a struggle. Her longing turned to annoyance, though, when the girls halted their laughter to gape at Stefan.

"Who is  _that_?" Caroline heard the brunette whisper to her blonde friend.

"I don't know," the other girl responded. "But let's find out." Stefan had hung up his phone by now and had gone back to getting the coffee. The girls made a show of "casually" walking toward him and the blonde sidled up to Stefan at the coffee machines and muttered "excuse me" before simultaneously reaching for a cup and pushing her chest toward him.

"Sorry," Stefan responded and slid out of her way. The girl seemed annoyed that he was too preoccupied with filling the cup with cream and sugar to spare her a glance and frowned.

"Excuse me," she said and waited until Stefan turned toward her. "Are you Matthew Lang's older brother?"

"No, no," Stefan said with a polite smile, "just passing through." He gestured to the car and Caroline quickly averted her eyes and tried to look as cool and composed as possible.

"Oh, that's too bad," the blonde girl continued, undeterred. "That's a great car you have. Looks fast," she added in a way that had nothing to do with the roadster.

"It is," Stefan replied and placed a lid on the cup. "If you'll excuse me," he said and moved around her to pay for the coffee. The brunette walked up to her friend and they both continued to stare at Stefan.

"He is so hot," the brunette whispered.

"Yeah," the blonde added bitterly, "wonder what he's doing with that ugly bitch in the car?" Caroline felt her face flush with anger and hurt at the insult. The girls giggled and watched Stefan as he exited the store and walked toward the car. Instead if walking to the driver's seat, he walked toward Caroline's side and opened her door.

"Thought we could share," he said as he placed his left hand on her upper thigh so he could lean across her and place the cup in the holder.

"Ok, that's..." was all Caroline could manage before Stefan grabbed her face with his right hand and pressed his lips to hers. Caroline felt him run his tongue between her lips and opened them in response. She reached her left hand up to intertwine in his hair and pressed him too her as their lips and tongues moved together. The gesture was performative, of course, but it was also a sign of mutual ownership and the heat between them intensified. Stefan slid his hand up Caroline's thigh and she let out a small moan when he reached the top. He gave her thigh a quick squeeze before pulling his lips from her and smiling.

"One more thing," he said before leaning down to peck her lips again and standing to close her door. He turned and strode back into the store. He stopped in front of the cashier and stared at the man, compelling him. "Are there any cameras in here or outside?" he asked coldly.

"No," the man replied.

"Good," Stefan said and snapped the man's neck without a moment's hesitation. The girls, who had looked confused and mortified up to that moment, screamed and started running toward the door as fast as they could. But Stefan was faster. He grabbed the blonde by the throat and dragged her a few steps before taking hold of the brunette's arm. He flung both girls against the cashier's countertop and loomed over them.

"Stefan, no!" Caroline screamed and moved to get out of the car.

"You stay right there, Caroline," he yelled fiercely. She settled back in her seat, terrified. He stared down at the girls, holding each of them down by their throats as they struggled in vain. "Be quiet," he said menacingly. Both girls instantly stopped struggling, succumbing to his compulsion. "Neither of you have cell phones on you right now, correct?" Both girls shook their heads in the negative. "Good," he continued. "Now, come with me and do exactly as I say. Don't try to run away." He released the girls and stepped back to allow them to stand. As he turned and walked away, they mindlessly followed. Caroline watched in horror as he led them to the back of the car and opened the trunk. "Get in," he demanded. Caroline felt the car move as first the blonde and then the brunette climbed into the trunk without protest. Stefan placed both hands on the trunk lid and stared down at the girls. "Don't make a sound," he said before slamming the lid over them. He walked calmly to the driver's seat before getting in and shutting the door.

"You have to make sure they don't have phones or anything on them," he said conversationally, "those things are like little tracking devices." Caroline stared at him in disbelief.

"What are you talking about?!" she asked, barely able to control the rising panic. "What are you going to do with those girls?" Stefan sighed and turned to look at Caroline. She barely recognized him. There was no compassion, no kindness in his face. She'd never seen him look so monstrous.

"You said you'd let me train you, Caroline," he said, a bit exasperated. He reached out to put his hand on her shoulder but she flinched away from the contact. He retracted his hand and went on more gently. "This is what it means to hunt, Caroline. I know this is new to you, but this is what we do. You agreed to come with us, you're going to have to start getting comfortable with this kind of thing."

"Well, then maybe I made a mistake, Stefan," she said, building hysteria in her voice. She opened the door and climbed out. She briskly walked away form the car but stopped at the edge of the road, unable to hold back her tears any longer. She didn't know if she could live this way. Watching Stefan be so coldly violent had shaken her to her core. In that moment, he had been nothing like the Stefan she knew. He had terrified her. And yet...watching him defend her honor–unequivocally, mercilessly–had excited her. She hated herself for her vanity. But it want just that. Stefan had never seemed more powerful than he had back there. He'd been totally confident in his actions and completely in control. She couldn't deny that there was some small part of her that wondered what that felt like.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you," Stefan said softly from behind her.

"I know, Stefan, it's just..." she raised a hand to her mouth to stifle a sob and couldn't go on. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I forgot you've never lived like a real vampire before. I used to fear it—giving in to my instincts and becoming a predator. But I couldn't stand to see you insulted. My impulse was to punish those people, I acted on it. I apologize for upsetting you."

Caroline wiped the tears from her eyes and placed her hand over Stefan's. He stepped toward her, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and closed her eyes. She inhaled deeply, taking in his scent and feeling comforted by its familiarity. She ran her hands along his strong arms as he nuzzled her neck, feeling totally desired and protected.

"You still want to come with me?" Stefan whispered softly in her ear. She nodded in agreement. He held Caroline a moment longer before releasing her. When she turned to face him he smiled and reached up to wipe the last tears from her face. He grabbed her hand and led her back to the car. She avoided looking at the trunk, fearing that she would lose her resolve if she had to think of its contents again. She climbed into the passenger seat and Stefan closed her door before racing to his seat.

They continued south, heading deep into North Carolina's share of the Appalachian range. Caroline picked uptempo music to brighten her mood and drown out the way the girls bodies' shifted in the trunk as the car sped along. Finally, at the end of a winding road buried deep in the woods, the headlight illuminated a large log house. Stefan parked the car in front of it and ran around the car to open Caroline's door and offer his hand to help her out.

"What a beautiful house," she said in awe, "it looks old."

"Klaus has owned it for years," Stefan explained as he moved toward the trunk. "He had a logging empire in the 1930s and this was his base of operations." He flicked the trunk's lid open and stared down at the girls inside. "Get out and follow us." The girls obeyed and after Stefan grabbed Caroline's bag, he joined her at the foot of the house's stairs.

She stared up at the dwelling, afraid of what would happen when she went in. She'd never met Klaus, but judging from what he'd done in the past few months (kidnapped her and Tyler, killed Jules, Jenna and even Elena in the ritual) she was more than a little frightened.

Stefan grabbed her hand and they ascended the stairs. He opened the front door and led her through a hallway that opened onto an enormous sitting room with a fireplace covering most of the far wall. She saw a figure silhouetted against the fire, leaning over a table and sipping from a tumbler. The figure turned at the sound of them entering the room.

"Stefan," the figure said in a deep-toned, British accent. "I send you out for one girl and you bring back three." The figure slowly swaggered across the room. Caroline watched him move toward them and thought there was something arrogant though not entirely unappealing in both the way he carried himself and his voice.

"Well, I thought we should celebrate Caroline's arrival," Stefan replied and gestured to the two young girls behind them.

"Indeed we should," Klaus replied and finally stepped into the light. He was handsome, more than she had expected. He had a distinguished brow and full, surprisingly red lips. His face was covered with stubble and he had close-cropped curly blonde hair. For a few moments, he stood sipping from his drink and quietly appraised Caroline's appearance. Then he smiled approvingly and set down his drink before moving toward her.

"So, you're the great Caroline Forbes I've heard so much about," he said seductively. "I must say, as flattering as Stefan's descriptions were," he stopped in front her and took hold of her hand before continuing, "they did no justice to the genuine article." He stared into Caroline's eyes as he slowly raised her hand and softly pressed his lips to them. "Welcome to the fold."


	11. Monstrous

"Thank you," Caroline replied, a little unsure. She struggled for something to say under the intensity of Klaus's gaze. "This house is incredible," she stated, desperate to move the conversation from herself. "Stefan said you built this house in the '30s when you had a logging empire?"

"Yes, it was quite the operation," Klaus replied and released her hand. He turned to pick up his drink again before continuing. "It stretched from here along the Appalachians quite far into Tennessee. Made us a fabulous amount of money until the government ruined everything and made most of the range into national parks."

"Us...?" Caroline inquired, confused.

"Yes, Elijah and I," he explained. "We were trying to let bygones be bygones and foolishly thought running a business together would make that easier." He shook his head disbelievingly and took another sip from his drink. "We disagreed over treatment of workers. Elijah was always a bit of a progressive and thought we were pushing them too hard because many were dying of sickness or non-vampire-related accidents. I argued that we could stand to lose a few for the sake of maintaining our output since the Depression assured there was always a steady stream of new workers." Klaus, who had remained uncomfortably close to Caroline through the exchange, finally took a step back and swept his hand in the direction of the seating placed around the fire. Glad to have a chance to avoid his gaze, Caroline gave a nervous smile and moved to sit.

Stefan—who had spent the conversation leading the two compelled high school girls to sit stiff-backed on a chaise longue in the corner just to the left of the fireplace—was sitting on a couch facing the fire. He lifted his right arm as an indication for Caroline to sit next to him and she happily obliged. She immediately felt less anxious when Stefan possessively draped his arm over her shoulder. Klaus settled himself in a chair just to the right of the couch and continued.

"Eventually, I realized Elijah was only trying to ferret out the location of the rest of our family and when I tried to dagger him as well, he fled and vowed to kill me." Klaus shrugged as if to say "c'est la vie" and finished his drink. He set the glass down on the table between them and sat back to give Caroline that same appraising look.

"So our dear friend Stefan tells me you've been a vampire for about six months now," Klaus said kindly.

Caroline bristled at the familiarity and camaraderie in Klaus's tone and before she could stop herself, she sidestepped his question and said sarcastically, "How 'dear' of a friend could Stefan be to you? He's only been forced into your servitude for like three months now."

For a second, Klaus looked taken aback and Caroline wondered if she hadn't made a mistake. But then he cocked an eyebrow at Stefan and both men laughed.

"I told you she had spunk," Stefan said affectionately before lifting his hand from her shoulder to brush away her hair and place a soft kiss on the side of her neck. Caroline blushed at the gesture and felt slightly self-conscious at showing affection in front of Klaus, but she tried to look determined nonetheless. Klaus could turn on the charm all he wanted, but she wouldn't forget that he was the reason her friend was gone.

"Allow me to explain," Klaus said, the slightest hint of admiration in his voice. "Stefan and I are actually old friends." Now it was Caroline's turn to look surprised. She turned toward Stefan questioningly and he smiled and nodded.

"Stefan and I actually met in the 1920s," Klaus explained. "All around Chicago, I kept hearing about this 'Ripper,' so I followed the trail of bodies and found Stefan here at the end of it." He gestured to his fellow vampire and leaned forward in his seat, a conspiratorial look coming over his face. "You should see what your friend can do, Caroline. I thought I knew how to enjoy my bloodlust when I met him, but I was always surprised at what he came up with in that twisted little mind of his. He once compelled a man to drink his own wife's blood simply for the pleasure of torturing him." Klaus threw his head back to laugh and leaned back into his chair. Caroline looked at Stefan's face, hoping to find remorse there, but was horrified to see that he actually looked proud, a sinister little smirk on his face.

"We were thick as thieves," Stefan said fondly.

"He even dated my sister, Rebekah, for a while," Klaus added. Despite herself, Caroline felt jealousy flare in the pit of her stomach and she unconsciously edged closer to Stefan slightly and placed a possessive hand on his knee.

"No need to worry, love," Klaus assured, though he looked rather pleased that he'd made her a little uncomfortable. "She's safely daggered and stowed away with the rest of my family. And I don't plan to change that. They've all betrayed me one too many times, so I don't particularly want to involve them in my plans."

"And what exactly are those plans?" Caroline interjected.

"I want to make more hybrids," Klaus replied with a shrug, "I've collected more than a few enemies over the years and I want to protect myself. That's where you two come in." At this, Caroline felt Stefan tighten his arm around her and the gesture felt simultaneously comforting and frightening. "I expect they'll be pretty powerful," Klaus continued. "And they might not be particularly disposed to obedience, so I'll need help controlling them."

At this, Klaus stood and started to walk across the room to where the two high school girls were sitting.

"Now, I know Stefan is up to the task" Klaus said slowly, "but he tells me you're a bit of a novice when it comes to hunting humans—or drinking straight from the vein for that matter." When Klaus reached the girls, he placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder and said, "if you'll follow me, please, sweetheart," and then led her to the open area before the fireplace. He stopped her directly in front of the fire, positioning himself behind her and turning her to face Stefan and Caroline. "You're going to have to prove to me that you want to be here, Caroline."

Suddenly Klaus's eyes filled with blood and he bared his fangs. He bit down hard on the girl's neck, but she didn't scream because she was still under Stefan's compulsion. After a few moments, Klaus disengaged from the girl, having taken only a small amount of blood. As frightened as she was, Caroline couldn't deny the hunger she felt when the scent of the girl's blood wafted across the room. It had been over twelve hours since she had last had any blood, so she had to fight to keep from baring her fangs.

"Your turn, sweetheart," he said and licked the blood from his lips.

"No," Caroline said quietly. "I'm not going to play your little game just so you can feel powerful." Klaus scowled and narrowed his eyes at her. "You're disgusting," she spat contemptuously. She turned to Stefan, took his face in her hands and stared into his eyes. "You're not like him, Stefan. You're good and deep down, you know this isn't who you want to be. We can go back to Mystic Falls and I can help you control this." Her voice cracked as she started to cry. "Remember who you really are," she begged. For a second, Stefan seemed to soften, as if her words had reached through to him.

"I guess this one's yours then, Stefan," Klaus intoned coldly. He turned the blonde toward himself and stared into her eyes. "I suggest you panic," he said, compelling her, "that man over there is going to kill you." The moment she was released, the girl's eyes widened in fear and she made a move for the door as she began to scream.

The sudden absence of Stefan's physical presence was nearly as shocking for Caroline as what happened next. The girl barely made it two steps before Stefan was upon her, he took her roughly by the waist and flung her body across the room where she made a bone crunching collision with an antique wooden table, smashing it to splinters in the process.

"Stefan, no!" Caroline screamed in protest and stood to stop him, but before she could move toward Stefan, Klaus wrapped his arms around her waist and neck and pulled her to him. She tried to struggle free, but he was too strong.

The blonde's cries transitioned from terror to pain as she tried to stand, only to realize her left leg was broken, the bone protruding through her calf. Stefan was upon her in the blink of an eye, but rather than begin drinking her blood, he grabbed her by the shoulders to shake her and began screaming into her face, "what's your name?" over and over until she stopped screaming long enough to whimper, "Melanie Diaz. It's Melanie Diaz. Please don't kill me." When he finally got his answer, Stefan smiled hungrily, said a curt, "thank you" and viciously tore into the girl's neck. After a few more moments of frantic screaming, the girl went silent as Stefan drained the blood from her body. By the time he was done, he'd bitten into her neck so roughly, that her head had been severed from the rest of her body. Stefan threw it carelessly to the side and stood to face Caroline and Klaus. The former had watched the scene through tears, screaming Stefan's name and begging him to stop.

" _This_  is what I am, Caroline," Stefan said coldly. "And it's what you could be too. We're vampires. This is what we were meant to be."

"No, it's not, Stefan," Caroline managed to choke out between sobs. "This isn't right and you know it." She suddenly felt Klaus's arms tighten around her as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"You know, he felt the same way the first few weeks," he hissed tauntingly. "He was such a bore, nothing like the sadistic murderer I'd known in the '20s. I forced him to kill until his only choice was to turn off his emotions or go mad from the guilt." Caroline struggled against his grip, furious. "And look at him now," he said with genuine wonder in his voice. "He's everything a vampire should be." Finally, he released her and shoved her toward Stefan, who ran at vampire speed to catch her.

After regaining her balance, she wheeled upon Klaus to see him smiling down at her smugly. And in that moment, the hate Caroline felt for him was all-consuming. He had taken Stefan, the best person she knew, and stripped him of everything that made him who he was. As much as she wanted to run screaming from the house and never look back, she couldn't leave her friend with this monster. She had to get him back, to save him. She turned to look into Stefan's eyes and saw the thrill of the bloodlust there, but beneath it, barely visible, she saw the tenderness he felt for her. The Stefan she knew was still in there somewhere and she silently vowed to herself that she would get him back.

"Please stay," Stefan said softly and placed his right hand on her face. Caroline raised her right hand to his face, mirroring his position, and leaned up to gently lick the fresh, warm blood from his neck. She ran her tongue along the rivulets of blood from his throat, up his neck to his chin and finally to his lips. When their lips met, Stefan wrapped his arms around Caroline's body and pressed her tightly to him. They kissed each other hungrily, losing themselves in both the taste of the blood and each other.

Finally, Caroline broke the embrace and extricated herself from Stefan's grip, gently pushing on his chest with both hands until he released her. He looked down at her, confused.

"I'll stay for you," she said to Stefan and then turned to face Klaus who, to her surprise, stared at her with unchecked lust. "And this is the last order I'll take from you," she said threateningly as she strode across the room to the brunette girl still sitting, unchanged, on the chaise longue. When she reached the girl, Caroline quickly snapped the brunette's neck before she could think about what she was doing. At least she could ensure that this one died quickly. She picked up the girl's slack body and began to drink deeply from her neck until she'd drained all the blood. She turned to face Stefan and Klaus, licking the blood from her lips and tasting the tears she had shed only minutes before.

"What's next?" she growled.


	12. First Blood

It was a few days before Caroline's hunger became so strong that she had no choice but to hunt. Once, she briefly found herself thankful that draining a body meant less frequent feeding and then immediately felt ashamed that she could find anything beneficial about what she had done to that young girl.

At first, she tried to find a way to put off hunting. She searched the house high and low, hoping Klaus and Stefan might be hiding a blood bag somewhere. They'd given her free reign of the property except for a room deep in the basement sealed off with a heavy steel door. They had never expressly forbidden her from entering the room with them during their numerous trips, but they never invited her either. Once, while they were upstairs in the house's impressive library, she snuck down to the door and tried the knob—only to find it locked. She pressed her ear against the door's cool surface and heard slight, muffled sounds but couldn't identify what could be making them.

"What are you two always doing behind that steel door downstairs?" Caroline inquired off-handedly one day, while she and Stefan walked through the woods. She had initially left the house hoping to sneak a squirrel or rabbit, but Stefan, likely guessing her plan, wouldn't let her out of his sight.

"Worried I'm cheating on you?" he deflected teasingly and gave her a playful smack on the ass before running at vampire speed and hiding behind a tree.

"Ha, ha, ha," Caroline replied sarcastically before giving chase. Stefan smiled mischievously and took off at top speed. Caroline could barely track Stefan's movements as he weaved through the trees, but she refused to let him escape. She veered to her right and picked up speed. Stefan looked back smiling but was confused when he no longer saw Caroline behind him. He slowed to a stop and listened for a moment before he was knocked to the ground.

"Gotcha!" Caroline said as she tumbled on top of him. He tried to stand, but she pressed down on his shoulders and straddled him. "Now you  _have_  to tell me what you guys do in there." Stefan smiled admiringly up at her, grabbed her waist and flipped them over with a little growl. Caroline let out a small scream and giggled as she was swept under him. He stared down at her triumphantly and she rested her hands on the sides of his neck.

"I'll tell you everything you want to know about that room as soon as we're done with your training." He moved to kiss her, but Caroline sighed and turned her face away. He pulled back and moved to get off of her. He pulled her up and Caroline continued to avoid Stefan's gaze. Finally he reached out and gently grabbed her chin and turned her to face him. "What's wrong?" he asked tenderly.

"I'm scared," she replied, emotion coloring her voice. Stefan sighed and pressed his forehead to hers, both of them closing their eyes at the contact.

"I'll be with you every step of the way," Stefan said soothingly. "I know this is new for you, but you're strong enough. I  _know_  you are." He gently ran his thumb over her cheek and leaned back. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Caroline nodded and reached her hand up to place it over Stefan's.

"Ok," she said softly. Stefan smiled wide and then leaned forward to place a soft kiss on Caroline's lips. He dropped his hand from her face, took her hand in his and began to lead her back to the house.

* * *

"Honey, are you sure it's safe to camp here?" the woman said as she sat down in front of the fire her husband had built. "Another family closer to the road said they heard about animal attacks too."

"Babe, I'm telling you, we'll be fine," the man responded nonchalantly as he sat back and threw a piece of the stick he was holding into the fire. "My family and I used to camp up here all the time and  _not once_ did we see a bear or a wolf or a panther. Maybe a rabbit, so unless rabbits up here have mutated, I think we'll be fine."

"At least that would make this place fun," a lanky teenaged boy said as he emerged from the darkness carrying a pile of wood. "There's nothing to do around here except sit around and stare at trees." The boy threw down the kindling, moodily plopped down slightly away from the fire and took his phone out of his pocket. "What kind of place doesn't even have phone service?"

"The good kind," his father interrupted combatively. "You spend all day playing around on that thing," he said and pointed aggressively, "which is why you don't know how to enjoy this. Your uncle Pete and I would spend hours out in those woods, building forts, having adventures—you should put that phone down and give it a try."

"Oh, Honey, stop it," the woman said and placed her hand on her husband's arm. He grumbled in response and dejectedly threw more pieces of the stick into the fire. A rustling sound snapped him out of his sullenness and he and his wife whirled around to look in the woods behind them. They saw only darkness. They turned back toward each other and let out nervous laughter when their eyes met.

A blood curdling scream rang out from across the fire, both parents turned to see their son screaming, blood gushing from his neck as  _something_  attacked him. The father stood to help his son, but he only made it a few steps before his wife began to scream in terror as well. He turned in time to see a blonde woman snap his wife's neck, effectively ending the sound of her screaming. The man opened his mouth to yell, but before he could, something barred his vision. When his eyes focused, he saw a man standing in front of him, blood-filled veins radiating out from his eyes, the green irises sunken in pools of blood.

"Maybe you should've listened to the warnings," the man said and bit roughly into the other man's neck. The father let out a scream and tried to struggle against the man attacking him, but he quickly felt his life draining from him. The last image he saw before passing out was the blonde woman picking up his wife's body and sinking her teeth into her neck.

Stefan dropped the man's body, tilted his head back and smiled at the taste of the blood running down his throat. After a second, he turned to Caroline and stared as she drained the woman's lifeless body. The sight was enough to spark his desire, but his need for her became nearly unbearable when Caroline disengaged from the woman's neck, flung her hair back and turned to him with a fierce, predatory look on her face. He licked his lips, strode toward her and their lips were just about to meet when a soft, whimpering cry caused them both to turn toward the tent pitched near the fire.

A small girl, no more than 5, sat peeking through the tent's flaps, terrified and confused. The young girl turned to her mother's dead body and began to cry. She whimpered, "Mommy? Mommy?" repeatedly, as if hoping the woman would stand and comfort her.

"Oh my God," Caroline said and covered her mouth with her hand. Stefan turned and saw tears forming in her eyes. She began to move toward the child, instinctively wanting to comfort her, when Klaus appeared and grabbed the child. The girl began to scream as Klaus bit into her, but she was soon silenced as Klaus quickly drained her and threw the body to the side, the girl's body colliding with a tree and the sounds of her tiny bones cracking at the impact.

Furious, Caroline ran at Klaus and pushed him so that he went flying into a tree, snapping it through and sending its upper reaches toppling into a neighboring tree.

"Why did you do that?!" she screamed. Klaus, looking equally furious, took a second to stand before answering.

"We can't have witnesses," he spat out angrily. Stefan placed his hands on Caroline's shoulder, as much for comfort as to keep her from running at Klaus again.

"It has to look like an animal attack Caroline," he said calmly. "A predator wouldn't hesitate to kill a child." Caroline wheeled on him, anger written all over her face, but also shame. She retained her composure for a moment before she let out a sob and fell into Stefan's arms.

"I killed her mother," Caroline wailed. Stefan wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.

"Take her back to the house, Stefan" Klaus said coldly. "I'll handle the bodies."

Stefan nodded and began to lead Caroline away from the scene, but stopped to lean down and quickly search the body of the man he'd killed until her found his wallet. He stuffed the man's driver's license in his pocket and led Caroline away as the sounds of Klaus tearing into flesh receded behind them.


	13. Creature Comforts

After weeks of killing and draining one human after another, Caroline's nightmares were growing steadily worse. One night, she woke up screaming after her most common nightmare: the image of the young girl in the tent's terrified eyes as they stared up at Caroline, the person who had killed her mother. As usual, she woke up in complete darkness, her body drenched in a cold sweat and her hands gripping the sheets to her chest as she sat bolt upright. But this time, she felt Stefan's hands clasp her upper arms and found him looking sympathetically into her eyes as he kneeled on the bed next to her, nearly naked except for a pair of boxers.

"It's ok, Caroline," he said softly, "I'm right here."

"Oh, Stefan," she managed to choke out before wrapping her arms around him and sobbing onto his bare shoulder. Caroline felt relieved as Stefan encircled her in his arms, his body quickly warming her through the thin material of her tank top. She gripped his back and shoulders, desperate for the comfort his presence afforded her. He softly stroked her hair with one hand and rubbed her back slowly with the other, his lips planting gentle kisses on her neck and shoulders for comfort.

"I don't know if I can keep doing this," she said through tears, the sound muffled by how tightly her face was pressed to Stefan's shoulder.

"Yes, you can," Stefan whispered in her ear. "You're the strongest vampire I've ever known. I know you can do this." He leaned back slightly, prompting Caroline to look into his eyes. "I know you've said you don't want to, but are you sure you don't want to turn off your emotions? It will make doing this so much easier for you."

Caroline stared into Stefan's eyes, the look on his face one of pure sympathy. She hadn't seen Stefan look so human, so much like his old self, since before she came to this awful place. How she longed to return to Mystic Falls. She couldn't remember how many times she had thought of seeing her mother again or wondered what Elena and Bonnie were up to or, in her loneliest moments, if Tyler even noticed she was gone. It would be so easy to just leave this place and never think about it again—if only Stefan would agree to come with her.

His bloodlust hadn't abated in the weeks she'd been there, but there were small changes in his behavior. He now spent less time in the steel-doored room with Klaus. Though she supposed they both spent less time in there now. They still made the occasional visit, but the days when they'd spend hours in there and come out whispering conspiratorially were long gone. Klaus was spending more time away from the house, off on whatever sinister errands he needed to do and Stefan rarely went with him now, instead staying with Caroline and continuing her physical training. Most of all, though, was his behavior with her. Stefan had always been acutely aware of her emotional state, but she thought he'd softened toward her as the days passed.

After that first hunt, he had coaxed her out of her near catatonic state of grief over the next few days. Always making sure she wasn't sitting alone wallowing, always sensing when the physical training they did in the woods was becoming too much—he had been the picture of caring. He'd been especially kind on their second hunt.

_He had begged Klaus to let them go alone so Caroline would feel a little more comfortable. Eventually, he conceded._

_As before, she snapped her victim's neck to make it as painless for him as possible and began to drink. However, she stopped after a few seconds and fell to her knees, racked with sobs and guilt. Stefan immediately ran to kneel in front of her._

_"Breath, Caroline," he said and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "I'm right here."_

_"I feel like a monster, Stefan" she said through tears, the hands covering her face slightly muffling her words._

_"Can you finish feeding?" he asked. Caroline shook her head and began to cry even harder. Stefan frowned, worried, but then his face hardened as he seemed to decide something. He reached out to the body of the discarded victim and dragged it to him, biting into the man's neck and draining the body. He clasped Caroline's wrists and gently took her hands from her face. She looked up at him, confused. "You need to keep your strength up," he said calmly. "Drink from me." Reaching up with his left hand and pulling the collar of his shirt down his shoulder, he tilted his head to allow her better access to his neck and gently pulled her closer to him._

_Caroline hesitated and looked into Stefan's eyes; he gave a quick nod of encouragement. She leaned forward and tentatively placed one hand on the right side of Stefan's neck and the other on his left shoulder. The sound of his pulse quickening as she leaned toward him caused her eyes to fill with blood. She bared her fangs and slowly sank them into Stefan's neck. He let out a small grunt at the initial pain and then closed his eyes, giving in to the sensation of his pulse surging against her lips. His hand released his shirt collar and he let it fall onto her thigh, caressing it with his fingers._

_Caroline had tasted vampire blood before, but she had been human then and it was so Damon could heal the damage he'd done. She remembered thinking at the time that she didn't so much enjoy the taste of his blood as the way it made her feel, every sip restoring her body's strength. But as a vampire, the experience was nothing short of transcendent. Once again, she felt herself grow stronger as Stefan's blood began to course through her veins, but now pleasure filled her body as well. Every nerve seeming to crackle with energy, her senses heightened so that every sensation was devastating in its power. Waves of unparalleled ecstasy flowed through her body. Even more maddening, like his scent, Stefan tasted faintly of the woods around Mystic Falls. He literally_ tasted _like home. Caroline gripped him tighter and drank more deeply._

_Stefan slid his hand into Caroline's hair, pressing her closer to him. The feel of her teeth on his neck and the knowledge that his blood was flowing through her veins and giving her such exquisite pleasure were intensely erotic. The veins on his face began to stand out as his eyes filled with blood. He longed to bite into her delicate, alabaster neck and let the heady taste of her blood fill his mouth, but she need the sustenance more. Soon, Stefan felt himself getting light-headed._

_"Caroline, that's enough" he said low but firm, but she was too engrossed in his taste and only drank deeper. "Caroline, stop," Stefan said more urgently and tried to push her away. She let out a growl and pushed Stefan to the ground, straddling him. Knowing that he needed to stop her before he grew too weak, Stefan summoned all his strength and grabbed her shoulders, pushing her back and flipping them over in the process. He landed roughly on top of her and pressed her into the ground when she lunged at his neck again. "Stop!" he yelled in his most menacing voice and bared his fangs. The roughness in his voice finally snapped Caroline out of her bloodlust. Stefan's head spun when he sat up and he reached a hand out to steady himself._

_"Oh my God," Caroline said, concerned. "Are you going to be alright, Stefan?" He held up a hand and took a moment to regain his bearings._

_"I'll be fine," he said, sounding a little dazed. Caroline reached up her hand to help him stand and then stood herself._

_"I'm so sorry, Stefan," she said and wrapped her arm around his waist to help support his weight as he swayed. "I don't know what came over me." She blushed when she saw the wound on his neck. It was already beginning to mend, but she had taken so much that the process was slower, a big purple bruise radiating out from the bite marks._

_"It's ok, really," he insisted. "Blood exchange between vampires can be...powerful." He draped his arm over her shoulder and leaned on her, shutting his eyes for a moment to steady himself. "We'll just have to be more careful next time,"_

_"Next time?" Caroline asked, surprised._

_"I think—at least until you're more comfortable with..." Stefan stopped himself before he said "killing," afraid of upsetting her again. "Hunting," he finished. "Just don't tell Klaus. He thinks it's better for your training if you have to kill for all of your blood." Caroline scowled._

_"Well, I don't care what that psycho thinks," she said petulantly, "he can compel himself to forget it like he did to you in the '20s for all I care." Stefan gave her a stern look._

_"Please?" he asked softly, the sincerity in those hazel eyes of his undeniable._

_"Ugh, fine," she said begrudgingly._

_"Good," Stefan said brightly and planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "Now let's go find someone for me to eat," he said playfully and tickled her side until she conceded a giggle. Caroline began to move away from the body, but Stefan stopped her._

_"Wait," he said, "can you take that man's driver's license out of his wallet?"_

_"Sure," Caroline replied. She propped Stefan against a tree and then reached down into the man's pocket. She located the license and handed it to Stefan._

_"Steven Wyatt," he read aloud and then closed his eyes, as if committing it to memory._

_"What is it with you and names?" Caroline asked as she began to support his weight again._

_"I like to remember my kills," Stefan said simply and stuffed the license in his pocket._

_"But you didn't kill him," Caroline said and tried to ignore the coldness in Stefan's voice._

_"Well, I want to remember this one for other reasons," he said, his voice thick with desire. She turned to look at him and they stared into each other's eyes for a few moments. Finally, broke the tension by giving a curt nod, indicating he was ready to start walking. Caroline began to_ _lead him toward the sounds of another campsite._

Caroline felt affection for Stefan fill her as she thought back on that day and his behavior since. She couldn't leave him now. Klaus's hold over him was finally showing signs of breaking. As difficult as hunting was for her, she couldn't give up now.

"No, Stefan," she said and slowly exhaled. "I won't do that. And I wish you would turn yours back on," she said and raised a hand to caress his cheek. "I'll just have to fight through it," she said without conviction and gave a shrug. Stefan frowned, his brow creased in thought.

"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" he asked sincerity and worry written all over his face. Caroline pulled back the covers and Stefan eagerly climbed under the sheets.

They lay face-to-face—legs entangled, arms wrapped around each other. Caroline snuggled into Stefan's chest and closed her eyes. He kissed the top of her head and gently rubbed her back until she fell asleep. Though he was tired, Stefan couldn't succumb to it. He was too engrossed by the sight of Caroline sleeping.

She seemed so beautiful, so pure and untroubled. Her skin felt so soft and supple against his. He nuzzled against her hair and was surprised to find that her scent reminded him of the night jasmine that bloomed around the Salvatore boarding house—lush and full and somehow secretive. On occasion, her sleep became troubled, slight murmurings suggesting the images that haunted her dreams. Each time, Stefan would tighten his grip on her and stroke her back until she calmed. Caroline would unconsciously burrow her face in Stefan's chest and breathe deeply.

As the first light of dawn began to seep through the windows, Stefan finally gave in to sleep. The last image on his mind the sight of Caroline's small hand pressed against his chest, his own hand encircling it.

* * *

The next night, Stefan and Caroline walked slowly up the stairs together. They had slept late that morning and had spent most of the day exploring Klaus's impressive library, taking a much-needed break from their physical training. Caroline made a game of picking random books off the shelves and asking Stefan if he had read them and what he thought of them. They'd spent most of the day arguing over the pros (Caroline) and cons (Stefan) of  _Gone with the Wind_. Caroline had begun reading  _East of Eden_  at Stefan's urging and carried it at her side as they walked. Though they had spent all day talking, they felt no need to converse now, simply taking comfort in each other's presence. When they reached Caroline's door, she stopped and turned to look at him.

"Well, today was a lot of fun," she said earnestly, "even if I still disagree with you about Scarlett." Stefan rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"That girl is too foolish and selfish to understand what the right decision is for her and she hurts everyone else in the process," he insisted. "Rhett deserved better."

"Whatever," Caroline replied and gave him a playful push. They both laughed and then lapsed into silence, standing and staring at each other. Finally, after seconds that filled the air with more tension as each one ticked by, Caroline broke the silence.

"Well, goodnight," she said hesitantly and opened her bedroom door.

"Wait," Stefan said and grabbed her hand. Caroline turned back, her face a little flush as she tried to hide her joy. "Why don't you stay with me tonight?" he said fervently. Afraid that he might sound too insistent, he quickly added, "I mean, if you're worried about having nightmares again." Caroline gave him a beatific smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Wait," she said and turned to go into her room. Stefan stood outside and saw light seep through the gap between the door and frame for a few seconds before the room went dark again. She came out of the room carrying her pajamas in one hand and the book in the other. "Ok," she said brightly before holding up the book and adding, "but we have to read some of this before we go to bed." Stefan smiled warmly and slid the book from her hands.

"Ok," he said, "I'll start." Caroline nodded and grabbed his hand. She shut the door to her room as he began to lead her to his.

She didn't have a single nightmare that night. The next day, she moved her things into his, no,  _their_ room.


	14. Final Preparations

Stefan had pushed her harder today than he ever had before. She suspected it had something to do with Klaus. After their fight during that first hunt, he had mostly stayed away from their hunts and their training exercises. But this time, Caroline had descended the stairs in her exercise clothes expecting to find Stefan standing alone waiting for her as usual and instead found both men huddled against the front door having a conversation in hushed voices. They turned toward her when she appeared—Stefan watching her like nothing else existed in the world and Klaus evaluating her with his usual calculating stare.

They had gone through their usual routine, but at a slightly heightened pace, Klaus sitting quietly by and watching the whole time. Stefan ran faster than Caroline had ever seen him move. She'd had to use every trick he'd taught her to finally catch him, but she always caught him. Besting him in close quarters was a little tougher. Stefan was stronger than her so she had to be quicker, smarter. They circled each other, both trying to anticipate the other's moves, but after months of sparring, they knew each other too well.

Caroline only managed to beat Stefan by exploiting his tenderness for her. When he grabbed her arm and pushed her to her knees, she screamed out in pain when she hit the ground. His grip on her softened for a second and it was all the advantage she needed. Her free arm shot out and swept his left leg out from under him. In his surprise, she was able untwist her arm and use it to grip his shirt and swing him to the ground. Quick as lightning, she leapt on top of him, pinning one arm with her knee and forcing the other behind his head. Her other hand gripped his throat, tensed as if ready to finish him off. For a moment, her teeth remained bared and the veins still stood out on her face.

"Give," Stefan said. Caroline gave a satisfied smile and her face went back to normal. She leaned down and gave Stefan a quick kiss and stood, offering a hand to help him up. Stefan stood and draped his arm over her shoulder. He smiled at Klaus and his chest swelled with pride. Klaus slowly stood and began to applaud. He ambled toward the pair and stopped just in front of Caroline, the look on his face both excited and cunning.

"Well done," he said and spared a quick glance at Stefan before adding, "both of you." He stared piercingly into Caroline's eyes, but she refused to look away. "I think she's ready, Stefan. Take her out for one last hunt tomorrow." Finally, he ran his eyes hungrily over Caroline's body one last time before turning and heading back toward the house.

* * *

Caroline slowly eased herself into the antique tub, the steaming water immediately relaxing her tired muscles. She hadn't realized what a toll the day's activity had taken on her until the adrenaline had worn off. As she lay her head back against the creamy, cool surface of the tub and closed her eyes, she pondered how strange it felt to have her body ache like a normal human's. She would likely heal by tomorrow, but maybe Stefan would let her take a sip from him–just to eliminate the soreness.

A polite knocking on the bathroom door snapped her out of her reverie and she turned toward it.

"Yes?" she said, unsure.

"Hey, Caroline," Stefan said through the door, "mind if I come in?" She hesitated and self-consciously covered herself.

"Um, I kind of just got into the bath," she said nervously.

"I know," Stefan said innocently, "I just thought you wouldn't mind if I took a shower while you were in the tub." Caroline frowned and contemplated for a moment. "Please, Caroline?" Stefan pleaded. "I'm beat and I can't wait to get into bed." That settled it. She knew she would fall asleep the moment her head hit the pillow and she didn't want to risk having a nightmare without him there to comfort her.

"Ok, but you keep your eyes to themselves," she warned and turned onto her stomach so that she could retain some modesty. Stefan turned the knob and came into the room with his hand over his eyes. The towel wrapped around his waste the only thing covering his body. He made a show of stumbling toward the shower and Caroline giggled at his display. When he was next to the tub, he peeked through his fingers, pretending to need to see his way and Caroline quickly picked up a slipper and chucked it at him. He dodged it and finally stopped in front of the shower where it stood along the bathroom's back wall, sitting parallel to the bathtub on the opposite side of the room. His back to her, Stefan finally uncovered his eyes and–without hesitation–tore off the towel and hung it on a hook next to the shower door.

Caroline quickly averted her eyes and blushed. Damn, he had a nice ass. She heard the shower door slide closed and the water come gushing out of the shower head a moment later. She flipped over onto her back again and stared down into the water of the tub, swirling the bubbles around to take her mind off the fact that she and Stefan were both totally naked within ten feet of each other.

In the weeks since they had started sleeping in the same bed, Stefan had been a perfect gentleman...mostly. There had been a few nights when she had climbed into bed with him and he would pull her close. She would feel his arousal against her and it would take everything she had to resist his scent and the feel of his chiseled body pressed so close. He would press his lips and hands urgently to her body and she would lose herself in his touch. Yet whenever he had tried to take things beyond kissing, she had stopped him. It wasn't that she didn't want to (the wetness that built between her thighs was testament to that), it was just that she feared what taking their relationship in that direction would mean.

The whole point of being here was to bring Stefan back to himself and return to Mystic Falls. He had certainly seemed to become more like the old Stefan as the days passed, but what would bringing sex into the mix do? Other tan during their hunts, those were the moments when he seemed most volatile, most like the Ripper; perhaps giving in would only fuel that. Even more confusing were the implications for their eventual return to Mystic Falls. Once he was back to himself, would Stefan go back to loving Elena again? To be skipped over  _again_  for her best friend would be more than she could bear. And hell, she wasn't even sure she was totally over Tyler yet. Sure he had seemingly moved on, but there had been that kiss in the Lockwood cellar, so full of fire. Stefan had forbid her from checking her phone or email, but she liked to think both would be full with messages from him. No, taking her relationship with Stefan to the next level was too complicated...but that didn't mean she couldn't admire him.

Caroline tentatively flicked her eyes toward the shower, trying not to move her head in case Stefan happened to be turned toward her. She found him standing in the middle of the spray, eyes closed as water flowed over him. As his fingers moved through his hair to rinse out the soap, Caroline contemplated how it was possible that it always looked so perfectly tousled and sexy. One of her favorite things about drinking from him on their hunts or when they lay in bed was the chance to run her fingers through his hair.

Stefan stepped back from the water and opened his eyes, reaching for his washcloth where it hung on a hook just under the shower head. He took the bar of soap from the dish and rubbed it between the sides of the cloth until he built up a lather. After setting the soap down, he closed his eyes again and began to slowly run the cloth over his arms, massaging his aching muscles. He then ran the cloth over his shoulders and chest before gliding it down his abs and lingering there. Caroline had seen his body before–he might as well have been nude in bed for all the good his boxers did and how closely they slept together–but something about the way the water made his body glisten as it ran down him was setting her pulse racing.

Stefan lifted his left foot and placed it on a shelf holding various soap bottles to begin washing his leg and Caroline nearly gasped when she saw his cock—given its size, she didn't know how she hadn't noticed it sooner. Elena had been too modest during girl talk. After a second, he dropped his leg and brought up the other, partially blocking her view and allowing her a moment to admire how muscular his legs were. He soon brought his leg down again and began to rinse and wring out the wash cloth.

Opening his eyes to set the cloth back on its hook, Stefan grabbed the bar of soap and placed it between both hands and kneaded it. He closed his eyes again as his left hand moved to rub the soap in a slow, circular motion over his abs to create a lather that continuously trickled down his body. Caroline couldn't stop her sharp intake of breath as Stefan slid his right hand down to his cock, the base of his shaft between his first and middle fingers and his palm cupping and massaging his balls. Throwing his head back and letting out a sigh, he caressed himself for a few moments as he started to harden and then bit his lower lip when he began to stroke the length of his shaft. When he reached the head, he swiped his thumb over his tip before gliding his hand back to the base.

He repeated the motion at a leisurely pace for a few minutes, slowly rocking his hips back and forth in time with the movements of his hand until he was fully hard. With a moan, he began to pick up the pace and Caroline's breathing quickened along with it. Dual urges warred within her: part of her desperately wanted to race to Stefan and replace his hands with hers, while another told her to stay put for fear that her slightest movement might stop him altogether. The latter won out.

Stefan's hand was moving much faster now, he no longer paused to swipe his thumb over his tip and he simultaneously squeezed himself a little tighter and pulled a little harder. His left hand ceased its motion on his stomach and he reached out and instinctively replaced the soap without opening his eyes. He leaned forward slightly so that the water now ran over his face and placed his hand on the wall in front of him. The hand on his cock began to move even faster–at vampire speed–as he began to buck his hips more sharply, small moans escaping his lips as he brought himself closer to the edge. With a final growl, he came and gasped for air as his semen spurted from him. He continued to stroke himself for a few moments, his pace slowing, before stepping back to rinse himself off.

When Stefan's eyes snapped open again, Caroline quickly turned her head and hoped he hadn't noticed her staring. She was surprised to realize that as she had watched him, her hands had been tightly gripping the sides of the tub and she had clenched her thighs together in response to her significant arousal. She relaxed her body and quickly reached out for the shampoo bottle sitting on the side of the tub. Maybe if she pretended to look preoccupied, he wouldn't realize that she had watched him. As she squeezed the soap into her hand and began to scrub it into her hair, she heard Stefan shut off the water and open the shower door. She had to concentrate on not looking at him when he grabbed his towel and began drying himself off. Finally, he wrapped it around his waist and began to pad toward the door. Wanting to avoid any conversation, Caroline shut her eyes and slid into the water to rinse the shampoo out of her hair.

After what seemed like ample time for Stefan to leave the room, she brought her head out of the water, eyes closed and hands running through her hair to remove the last of the soap. She gasped as she suddenly felt Stefan's hand snake around her throat from behind and push her chin up so he could crash his lips onto hers. He plunged his tongue into her mouth and sucked on hers when she reciprocated; she immediately reached both hands up to run them through his hair. Caroline whimpered as she felt him slide his other hand along her shoulder, between her breasts and down to her stomach before tracing the same path up again. He broke their kiss and pushed on her back slightly as he stood staring down at her from behind.

"Slide forward," he said firmly. Caroline quickly reached for the sides of the tub with both hands and complied. She saw Stefan's towel fly onto the chair next to the tub to join hers and then felt him step into the water and sit down behind her. The feel of his cock–still slightly hard–pressed against her behind and the feel of his chest and abs pressed flush against her back were enough to drive her wild. Yet that was nothing compared to the way she felt when Stefan wrapped his arms around her body and began to fondle her breasts with one hand while the other slid between her thighs to cup her. She wriggled to escape his touch as her mind insisted this was a bad idea, but he only pressed her to him harder.

"Don't try to deny how much you want me," Stefan whispered seductively into her ear. "I could smell how much watching me turned you on." He rolled his hips against her and Caroline let out a small moan and dropped her head back onto Stefan's shoulder, the will to resist completely obliterated.

"You were amazing today," he said while planting kisses along her jaw. "You're almost ready." Caroline bit her bottom lip as Stefan began to massage her. "If you prove yourself on the hunt tomorrow, we can move to the next step."

"What do I have to do?" Caroline panted. Stefan paused to kiss her neck before answering.

"You have to drink from your victim without snapping their neck first," he said. Caroline's body tensed. Though she had become more comfortable drinking from a fresh kill as the months had passed, she had always snapped their necks first to make it less painful for them and less traumatic for herself. She wasn't sure if she could take that step.

"Stefan, I..." she began, but was cut short by the moan that escaped her lips when Stefan ran a finger between her folds.

"You've made so much progress since you first got here," he interrupted. "You're almost ready, you just have to do this one thing." Caroline nearly cried out as she felt him simultaneously pinch her nipple and press his finger hard against her clit. "Say you'll do it," he commanded.

"Yes," she said desperately and ground her hips against him, "I want to know what's next." Caroline felt him smile against her neck and yelped when he pushed a finger into her.

"Mmm," he purred into her ear as he began to move his finger against her walls. "You're so tight," he said and pushed his hand into her as far as he could. Caroline whimpered and swiveled her hips in rhythm as he moved his finger in and out of her, round and round. Desire built quickly in the pit of her stomach. Feeling her increasing slickness, Stefan leaned down and pressed his lips more roughly to her neck, nibbling at the skin above her veins though not piercing it.

"I can't wait to feel you come," he said and slipped a second finger into her while his thumb began to circle her clit. Caroline's hands, which had tightened on the sides of the tub as Stefan played with her, clenched at this new stimulation and she felt the porcelain crack slightly under her fingers. She slid them down into the water and caressed his thighs with both hands. Stefan moaned and ground himself against her, fully hard again. He tightened the hand on her chest around her breast and pinched her nipple hard enough that it would bruise on anyone else and she gave a small scream in response.

Caroline was close to the edge now, her breathing hard and her hips bucking wildly against Stefan's hand as he moved with devastating skill. His breath was rapid and ragged too, the sound of her blood pumping through her exposed neck driving him mad. Unable to resist any longer, he bared his fangs and sunk his teeth into her neck. Caroline screamed Stefan's name in pleasure at the sensation and went crashing over the edge, her body undulating as wave after wave of her intense orgasm flowed through her body. She felt Stefan's cock twitch against her as he came, the taste of her blood hitting his throat and the feel of her grinding against him finally becoming too much.

His hand began to slow its movements as they both came down from their orgasms. He disengaged from her neck with a sigh and lay his head on the back lip of the tub. Caroline whimpered as Stefan pulled his fingers from her. Bringing those same fingers to his lips, he used them to wipe her blood from his mouth and closed his eyes before sucking on them, the taste of her mixing with her blood in a way that made him shudder with pleasure.

They lay together–his arms wrapped around her and hers rubbing his thighs–as their breathing slowed. Finally, he pushed her chin up and kissed her, achingly slow. Just as Caroline felt her desire begin to build again, he pulled back and moved to climb out of the tub. He padded to the chair and grabbed his towel, wrapping it around his waist. He smiled smugly as he stared down at her, clearly satisfied with himself and her.

"I want nothing more than to drag you into that bedroom right now and fuck you all night," he said and paused to lick his lips seductively, "but we'll need to save our strength for the hunt tomorrow." He leaned down and wrapped his hand around her throat and pressed a final heated kiss to her lips. "Goodnight, Caroline," he said and walked out of the room.

Caroline sat back against the tub, a little dazed. She doubted she would sleep a wink.


	15. Honeymooners

Caroline awoke the next morning to the sounds of shuffling fabric. She opened her eyes to find Stefan standing across the room methodically selecting clothes from drawers and placing them in a rolling suitcase.

"What are you doing?" she asked sleepily. Stefan turned and smiled, his hands pressing along the creases of one of his shirts.

"Packing," he said and chucked it into the bag. "Klaus and I thought we should celebrate the end of your training with something special."

"Where are we going?" Caroline asked and sat up. Stefan smiled slyly, climbed onto the bed and crawled toward her until his face was hovering just above hers. She reached up and rested her hands on his shoulders.

"It's a surprise, " he said before leaning down to kiss her. "Somewhere every newborn vampire should visit," he added before laying down on top of her. All remnants of sleep were quickly wiped away as Caroline felt her body come alive. She ran a hand down his torso and tried to slide her hand under his shirt, causing Stefan to break the kiss. "Ah, ah, ah," he said and shook his finger, "we've got a flight to catch." Caroline dropped her head back on the pillow with a frustrated sigh and pushed him off of her. He landed on the bed next to her laughing. She got up and walked toward the closet, but stopped cold when she saw the contents of the suitcase.

"Is that  _seriously_  all you're packing for me?" she said and gave Stefan a withering glance.

"We'll be gone for  _one night_ ," Stefan said sternly. "Plus, I know you'll want to go shopping when we get there and I promise to buy you whatever you want," he added sweetly. Caroline narrowed her eyes at him.

"As offended as I am by that obvious bribe, Stefan Salvatore, I accept it with the promise that I will make you regret that offer."

"I'm sure you will. Now hurry up, we have to leave in about an hour." Caroline walked over to the closet and contemplated its contents.

"You at least have to tell me what the weather is like where we're going," she said without turning to face Stefan. She heard the bed creak behind her as he stood and resumed packing.

"Dress warm," he responded. "If we're lucky, we'll get snow." Caroline smiled and grabbed a dark pair of skinny jeans and a cream-colored sweater.

She quickly went through her beauty regimen (which was still longer than that of most people) and packed her assorted toiletries and make-up in the suitcase next to Stefan's things. She put on her tan boots, grabbed her red pea coat and a scarf in the same shade as her sweater and walked to where Stefan sat at his desk.

"Ready!" she said excitedly. He smiled and stood.

"Don't forget this," he said and handed her the case containing the antique necklace she'd brought from Mystic Falls. "You may or may not have to dress to impress tonight." She gave him a searching glance and placed it in her purse. Stefan threw his grey wool coat over his arm and stuck out his arm so Caroline could loop hers around it before grabbing the suitcase with the other hand and leading her out of the room.

As they descended the Appalachian range through winding roads, Caroline realized they hadn't strayed far from the woods around Klaus's house since the day Stefan first brought her there. As Stefan's deft maneuvering carried them away, she felt as if a weight was lifting off her shoulders. She placed her hand over Stefan's where it sat on the car's stick shift. He glanced quickly over at her with a slight smile on his lips that was quickly replaced with a look of concern when he saw her eyes were glistening with tears. He squeezed her hand and pressed it softly to his lips before turning his eyes back to the road.

They drove for over an hour until they reached a small, private airport nestled near the mountains.

"Wait, we're flying from here?" Caroline asked, confused.

"Yup," Stefan replied, "Klaus has his own jet. He's letting us borrow it." Caroline raised her eyebrows. She didn't particularly like the idea of Klaus giving them gifts, but flying in a private plane seemed like a good enough reason to allow it.

And she wasn't disappointed. The plush seats were upholstered in a creamy white leather contrasted by dark, almost mahogany wood paneling. Though the mid-morning light streaming through the windows was more than enough to illuminate the luxurious surroundings, the compactness and emptiness made the space seem somehow intimate. She selected a seat at the middle of the fuselage and Stefan set the suitcase across the aisle.

"You buckle up and I'll go hang your coat," he said and leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips before heading toward the back of the plane.

Within a few minutes, the cabin was sealed up and Stefan had taken the seat directly across from her. The sleek little jet was slowly rolling toward the runway when the pilot's voice sounded over the speakers. "Good morning, this is your captain, John Craig. We'll be taking off as soon as we get the all clear from the tower. Flight time is about three hours, 45 minutes even with the expected snowfall, so that should put us in..." But Caroline didn't hear the rest as Stefan suddenly blurted out a loud, "oh no!" flew toward her, clamped his hands down over her ears and playfully pressed kisses all over her face and lips.

"What is wrong with you?" Caroline managed to say between kisses and her own laughter. Stefan finally stopped mauling her and she caught the pilot saying something about turbulence and flying above the weather before signing off.

"Can't have the pilot spoiling the surprise," he said with a laugh. "I'll have to have a conversation with him once we're in the air. But for now I'll settle for sitting next to you just in case."

"I'll do it myself if it'll stop you from attacking me again, you beast," Caroline teased and poked him in the chest. He smiled down at her and then moved her purse from the seat next to her and onto the one he had vacated.

Before long, the plane eased to a stop. The whir of the engines built until the plane suddenly shot down the runway, picking up speed. Caroline stared out the window as the plane left the ground and rose rapidly into the sky. She tried to guess which direction they were moving based on the ground below, but she couldn't tell without any major landmarks. It had to be somewhere in North America if the flight was under four hours—at least she thought so. She had been in a plane before for the occasional family reunion or vacation, but she'd never really  _been_  anywhere. Living anywhere else except in Mystic Falls had never even occurred to her. At least, not before she was a vampire with the whole of time stretched out before her.

"I'm going to go talk to the pilot," Stefan said, interrupting her thoughts, "you want anything to drink? I made sure the bar was fully stocked."

"Isn't it a little early for alcohol?" she chided.

"We're celebrating," he replied and spread his arms wide. "Plus, how else am I going to convince you to join the Mile High Club later?" he added with a mischievous smile.

"I'm not that kind of girl," she responded and showily crossed her arms over her chest.

"We'll see," he said and nudged her shoulder. "Come on, just one little mimosa to kick this trip off right?"

"Fine," she conceded, unable to resist that smile. He rose and headed toward the cockpit. Caroline unbuckled her seat belt and stood to rifle through her purse. She found her iPod (now filled with music plundered from Stefan's library) and the copy of  _East of Eden_  they'd been reading. If she'd been reading it by herself, she probably would have been done by now, but she enjoyed hearing Stefan speak the words too much. Whenever she found Steinbeck's language particularly beautiful, she would have Stefan read the passages over and over again, her eyes closed and her head resting on his chest.

"Your drink, Madame," Stefan said and proffered the cocktail.

"Why thank you, sir," she replied with a genteel bow of her head. She sipped her drink and savored the way the champagne bubbles fizzled against her tongue. She moved to clink her glass with Stefan's, but froze when she saw his drink.

"What's that?" she asked and pointed at the brownish liquid in his glass.

"It's an old-fashioned," he said and raised the drink to his lips.

"Stefan Salvatore, are you drinking hard liquor for breakfast?"

"Hey, don't be so judgmental. Mine has orange juice in it too," he said and pointed to the thin, muddled orange slice sitting at the bottom of the glass. Caroline rolled her eyes and took another sip of her drink. Stefan smiled and reached across her to open a compartment that contained a sliding panel that became a table.

"Thank you," she said and set her drink on it. "Do you mind if I finish this by myself?" she said and held up the book.

"Not at all," Stefan replied. She smiled and placed her headphones in her ears, scrolling through the artists until she found Mumford and Sons—they did have a song called "Timshel" after all.

Caroline spent most of the rest of the flight reading the final chapters while Stefan leafed through the pages of a newspaper. Her drink was so delicious that she finished it much faster than usual and didn't bother resisting when Stefan offered to make her a new one. When she finally turned the last page, she set the book down and stared out the window trying to decide if Stefan was more of an Aron or a Caleb. She was just pondering that maybe he was most like Adam considering that character's association with his own evil Catherine when the sight out the window blessedly broke that train of thought.

"Oh my God," she said breathlessly and leaned toward the window. She felt Stefan place his hand on her thigh and lean over to kiss her on the cheek.

"It's a bit of a detour," Stefan said, "but I wanted to make sure you saw it from the air." She turned and grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him.

"Thank you," she said and turned back to the window. Just below, the Empire State Building loomed large and iconic, the controlled wildness of Central Park stretched out nearby.

They didn't land in the city. They didn't even land in New York State. Instead, they set down at Tetorboro in New Jersey. Caroline practically bounded out of the plane she was so excited. A light snow was falling, gradually coating the ground. Stefan led her to a parking area where a tall man in a sharp suit stood waiting in front of a black town car.

"Kenneth," Stefan said jovially, "good to see you." He stuck out his hand and gave the driver's hand a hearty shake before continuing. "This is Miss Forbes."

"Nice to meet you, ma'am," Kenneth said and offered his hand.

"Nice to meet you," she said and smiled sweetly. He returned the smile and opened the passenger door. Caroline sat down and Kenneth shut the door behind her. He led Stefan to the trunk so he could place the suitcase in it and then opened and shut Stefan's door before climbing into the driver's seat.

"Where to, Mr. Salvatore?" he asked and turned in his seat.

"We'll hunt tonight," Stefan intoned to Caroline, "but you want to grab a little something to tide us over until then?" She gave a quick nod and nervously glanced at Kenneth's reflection in the rearview mirror.

"Great," Stefan said, "let's do Max Brenner's on 14th, Kenneth. That's still open right?"

"Yes, sir," he replied and started the car. They pulled out of the parking lot and joined the Saturday traffic.

"So how are the kids?" Stefan asked Kenneth.

"Very good," the driver replied proudly. "Dane is applying to colleges."

"Really?" Stefan said, surprised. "It's been far too long since I've seen him."

"And the wife's been complaining about having you back for dinner ever since," Kenneth replied in a Brooklyn accent that suddenly seemed to grow thicker. Stefan laughed and patted the driver's shoulder.

"Well, next time I won't bring a bottle of her favorite wine."

"No way. I've never seen her so happy in her whole life, you bring a case of that stuff if you want to."

"Ok," Stefan said with a laugh. He looked over at Caroline and smiled; she couldn't help but return it. It was nice to see him so normal, so carefree. "Look," he said and pointed to the window. The Manhattan skyline sat just across the river, the buildings glinting in the afternoon light.

"Where are we going first?" Caroline asked, staring to bounce in her seat with excitement.

"How do you feel about chocolate?" he said with a wink.

Forty-five minutes later–during a ride in which Caroline almost burst out of the car with excitement as Kenneth drove them near the Empire State Building and then down Fifth Avenue–they pulled to a stop in front of a restaurant with a brown facade, "Max Brenner's Chocolate by the Bald Man" written in beige block letters across the top. Kenneth let Stefan out first who then walked around the car to help Caroline out. He told the driver he would call him when they were finished before leading Caroline into the restaurant.

The interior looked like the inside of Willy Wonka's factory filtered through the mind of someone with more of a penchant for minimalism and modern graphic design. The huge space was decked out mostly in shades of brown and cream. Tables cluttered every inch of available floor space and the lighting was dim, the candles on every table providing almost as much illumination as the overhead lights. In the middle of the foyer, which was packed with customers waiting for a table, sat two enormous vats filled with churning chocolate—white in one and dark in the other. Pipes ran from the vats along the ceiling over a counter of desserts toward the kitchen. Caroline pushed through the crowd to stare at the tantalizing sight of pizzas covered in Nutella and marshmallows, large plastic syringes filled with what looked like chocolate ganache and an assortment of chocolate pastries.

"Come on," Stefan whispered in her ear, "let's get a table." He pulled her through the crowd before stopping in front of the hostess's podium.

"Table for two, please," Stefan asked politely.

"It's gonna be at least a 40 minute wait," the girl said a little roughly. Stefan frowned and looked up at a landing above that Caroline hadn't even noticed before.

"What about that table up there?" he said and pointed to a large empty table next to the railing.

"That's reserved in case larger parties come in, sir," she countered, this time not even attempting to be polite.

"I think you can make an exception," Stefan said and stared into the girl's eyes.

"Julie," the girl said tonelessly and turned to a girl holding menus a few feet behind her. "Can you bring these two up to table 206, please?" The other girl looked a little confused, but seemed to think better of asking questions when she saw the stern look on the hostess's face.

"Right this way," she said politely and grabbed a stack of menus.

"Who needs reservations when you've got compulsion?" Stefan whispered conspiratorially in Caroline's ear. She rolled her eyes and shook her head at him before following the girl toward the stairs.

Caroline took the seat closest to the railing on one side of their table so she could watch the crowd and scope out what everyone was having while Stefan sat down across from her.

"Someone should be with you in just a minute," the girl said. "We've got a new selection of great new choctails," the girl added, setting down the menus before heading down the stairs again. Caroline looked down at the pile and noticed for the first time that there were two types.

"One is for real food and one is for desserts and other chocolate-related things," Stefan explained. He reached down and handed her the square, spiral-bound menu. "I'm guessing you wouldn't mind going straight for dessert?"

"And you would be right," Caroline said and took the little booklet out of his hand. She flipped through the pages, becoming less and less sure of what to order with each turn. Maybe the crepe filled with Nutella and strawberries or maybe the churros with assorted dipping sauces or maybe even something called "The Chocolate Mess," which was an enormous brownie baked and served in a skillet and eaten with spatulas. The whole thing was served fresh out of the oven and topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce and multiple scoops of ice cream in different flavors and melted chocolate and nuts and fruit and something called "waffle balls."

"Tough to choose, huh?" Stefan said, breaking into her thoughts. She nodded, looking a little bewildered. "How about we get the sharing fondue for two?" he suggested and flipped her menu to the appropriate page. Dark and white chocolate, caramel sauce, strawberries, bananas, brownie pieces, marshmallows and those "waffle balls" again—she couldn't argue with that.

"Perfect," she responded and gladly flipped the menu closed.

"You want some hot chocolate or a choctail?" He said the last bit sarcastically with air quotes. Caroline narrowed her eyes at him and smirked.

"You think you're so smooth don't you?" she said teasingly. "Bringing me to a chocolate restaurant and picking out the most couple-y thing on the menu and then casually suggesting I get a chocolate cocktail that is  _literally_  under the heading 'aphrodisiacs.' You bring a lot of girls her, Mr. Salvatore?"

"None like you," he replied and shrugged. Caroline raised her eyebrows.

"You mean no vampires?" she countered.

"I mean none like you," he said and stared at her so intently that Caroline blushed.

"Hello," their waitress interrupted, "welcome to Max Brenner's. Are you guys ready to order?" Stefan turned to the pretty brunette standing next to their table and smiled.

"We're going to get the sharing fondue for two. I'll have the Mexican hot chocolate and the lady will have..."

"The caramel hot chocolate," Caroline finished.

"Great," the waitress said and grabbed the menus. "I'll get you guys a couple of waters in the meantime."

"Thank you," Stefan said and handed the menus to the girl.

"So, what do you want to do?" Stefan asked and rested his chin on his steepled fingers. Caroline bit her lip in thought.

"Central Park. No, shopping. No, Times Square. No, wait!" She gasped and paused for effect before whispering one word: "Broadway."

"Easy now," Stefan said with a chuckle. "We're only here for one day. I don't think we'll have time for all of that." Caroline's face fell and Stefan looked momentarily alarmed at how sad she suddenly seemed. "How about this?" he said and placed his hand over hers where it sat on the table. "We'll hit Central Park after we eat and then do some of that shopping I promised you. If we have time, we can see a show, ok?"

"Ok," Caroline replied, looking much less sad than before.

When the food came, the chocolate sauces and caramel simmered in three identical containers made up of three tiny, creamy white bowls stacked atop each other—the candle in the lowest heating the water in the middle to keep the contents at the top ready for dipping. Between the bowls of marshmallows and the melted chocolate, the waitress placed a small black cauldron, the opaque blue rocks at the bottom igniting at the slightest contact with flame. Caroline didn't know what to choose first.

"The flame can take a while to get going," Stefan said, interrupting her thoughts. "I'll toast a marshmallow for you so you can start. Just save me a strawberry, ok?"

"Too smooth," Caroline said under her breath and speared a slice of banana, dipping it in chocolate before popping it in her mouth. "Oh my God," she said and closed here eyes.

"Good choice?" Stefan asked as he twisted the marshmallow over the slowly building flame.

"The best," Caroline said before picking up a strawberry, dipping it in chocolate and holding it in front of Stefan. He smiled and bit it off her fondue fork. "Now, don't burn that or everything will be ruined," she said and pointed to the marshmallow on his fork. He gave her a wink and play acted giving his full attention to the marshmallow.

The rest of the meal went on like this, each of them more often dipping food for the other than themselves. Caroline kept thinking that they were one of  _those_  couples—the kind who are so focused on each other that everyone else in the room kind of wants to roll their eyes. Whatever, she thought, Stefan was nothing like the Ripper who had first taken her from Mystic Falls so many months ago. She might finally have gotten Stefan back and she was going to enjoy it.

After the meal, Stefan paid their bill and bought Caroline a few truffles in the shop downstairs before they climbed back in the car.

"Central Park boat house, Kenneth" Stefan told the driver. He responded with a nod and pulled into traffic.

When they arrived, the rapidly setting sun tinged the barren trees and snow-covered ground with gold and purple light. Caroline stepped out into the light snow and immediately noticed that this part of the city was much quieter than the rest. No honking horns or the movement of hundreds of people weaving around each other on the sidewalks, just a church-like silence and the the whisper of snow hitting the ground.

"We'll make our way toward the Plaza and then probably wander around there for a bit," Stefan said to Kenneth. "I'll give you a call when we're ready to head to the apartment."

"Sounds good, Mr. Salvatore," he replied and climbed into the car.

"Apartment?" Caroline asked.

"Yup, a brownstone I bought cheap in the Depression," he explained. "I've lived here for stretches of time throughout the years." He slipped his hand into hers and began leading her on a path along the water of the little lake to their right before continuing. "Once in the '30s for about ten years and then again in the mid-'60s."

"I remember," Caroline responded.

"Really?" Stefan said and paused, "I didn't think I'd ever told you about my time here." Oh crap, Caroline thought, that was something she only knew from his journals.

"I mean, I think Elena mentioned it before," she said.

"Hmm," Stefan said, his furrowed brow suggesting he didn't quite believe her.

"So what's the deal with Kenneth?" Caroline inquired, hoping to move his mind to another subject. "He didn't even blink when you said we were going hunting later. Does he know what we are?" Stefan chuckled before continuing down the path again.

"Kenneth has been working for me for many years," he said. "A vampire living in the city needs ways to dispose of certain  _items_. It's especially useful if that person has a car."

"So, he drives you around during the day and dumps bodies at night?" Caroline asked, suddenly rethinking her first impression of Kenneth.

"Basically," Stefan responded with a shrug. "I do pay him handsomely, though. I paid his father pretty well too, before he passed."

"His father?"

"That thing about mobs being made up of families is pretty accurate. I've had a Bonanno in my employ since I first moved here. I'm glad to hear Dane is applying to college, but I really don't want to have to look for another driver." Caroline glanced down at the ground; she didn't like this topic much either.

"It's so quiet here," she said, changing the subject again. "I would think we were back home in the woods if I couldn't see the tops of the buildings over the trees." The path opened up and Stefan led her to a little launching point on the boat pond, the water frozen right up to its edge.

"Wait until you to see it in the spring," he said and squeezed her hand.

They spent most of the rest of their walk in comfortable silence. From the boat pond, they turned toward the fountain, the aged metal angel statue stood out in such relief against the whiteness of the sky and snow that Caroline wished she'd brought a camera. She squealed with delight when Stefan produced one from his jacket pocket. From there, they went through a large arched chamber in which a lone violinist played in the corner, the melancholy sound echoing around the dim, empty space. The stairs leading out opened onto a long promenade lined on both sides with benches and trees. At the end of it, they turned right and skirted the edge of a large empty field full of untouched snow.

"Let's run through it," Caroline suggested and took a few steps into the snow blanketing the field.

"Mmm, I think not," Stefan said and turned to continue down the path, but he stopped in his tracks when a snowball slammed into the back of his head. He turned to see Caroline in a defensive crouch, another snowball at the ready in her hand. He narrowed his eyes. "Shall I take that as a declaration of war, Miss Forbes?" The snowball that smacked him squarely in the chest was her only answer. He smiled, leaned down and started packing some freshly fallen snow into a ball. "Alright, have it your way," he said, "but when I catch you, I want to hear how you knew I used to live here." Caroline popped up, surprised.

"I told you, Elena told me," she said nervously.

"Nope," Stefan said and slowly started moving toward her, causing her to back away in response. "I rarely live here for extended periods of time unless I'm on a bender. I barely tell anyone about those days, let alone her.  _Damon_  doesn't even know I own property here. No, you found out some other way."

"Well, at the risk of incurring your wrath after you've already caught me–which you won't–I'll tell you now." Caroline leaned down and started packing snow together. "I maybe, sort of read a few of your journals." Stefan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He stood staring at her for a few moments, reassessing, before his eyes narrowed again and a devilish grin stretched over his face.

"You better run," he said and chucked the snowball at her. Caroline dodged it and barely took the time to lob her snowball in his direction before taking off running. She zigged and zagged toward the middle of the field, the snow crunching under her feet. Stefan had always been faster than her in a flat out run, so when he tackled her to the ground and rolled them so he was on top, holding her arms down over her head, she wasn't surprised—and she couldn't really say she was disappointed in herself for being caught either.

He stared down at her with a self-satisfied grin and interlaced their gloved hands before leaning down to kiss her, cruelly breaking it off just when the mood was shifting. He rested his his forehead against hers, eyes closed.

"If that's the punishment I get for reading your journals," Caroline said lowly, "then I might have to do it again." Stefan laughed and moved off of her.

"No," he said as he stood up and reached down his hand for her. "That would be the fact that I'm not going to tear your clothes off right here," he added as he pulled her off the ground.

"Who says I would have let you?" Caroline asked, blushing.

"Who says I would have let you stop me?" he countered, grabbing her around the waist and throwing her over his shoulder. She let out a little scream and feigned resistance before devolving into giggles. He set her down at the edge of the field and they continued their stroll through the park.

After winding their way around an ice skating rink and crossing a bridge over a picturesque frozen pond, they exited at the southeast corner of the park, well after darkness had descended. Horse drawn carriages stood waiting for passengers on the sidewalk closest to them while the Plaza Hotel stood elegant and imposing across the street.

"What's next?" Caroline asked.

"Shopping on Fifth Avenue?" Stefan answered.

The way her face lit up left Stefan laughing so hard he had to sit down to compose himself.

Over two hours later, Stefan was anything but amused. He sat sprawled on a plush chair just outside yet another Bergdorf Goodman's dressing room, countless bags surrounding him. At least his toil was almost at its end. They had already gone through purses and accessories and perfume and (most terrifyingly) shoes; actual clothing and finally dresses were the last stop. Caroline, who seemed to have surprisingly expensive tastes despite growing up in a small town that didn't even have a proper mall, had gone straight for the high-end designer stuff—the kind they carried in exactly two sizes and which had to be bought right this second or its likes would never be found again regardless if you called every store in Manhattan. Stefan had lost count of how many dresses Caroline had come prancing out of the dressing room wearing. The "keep" rack that had been wheeled in had at least seven so the total must have been well into the teens.

"Last one!" Caroline's voice floated to him from the dressing room. Stefan was about to jump for joy when the sight of her figure emerging stopped him mid movement. She wore a silver cocktail dress, the hem ending dangerously high on her thighs, her newly purchased black pumps only further accentuating the length of her legs. He couldn't tell what the shimmering material was, but he knew its effect was to hug her curves so closely that little was left to the imagination.

"I guess this one's a keeper," Caroline said low and sexy when she saw Stefan staring at her, totally agog. He could only nod dumbly. After Caroline changed back into her clothes, the salesgirl, who looked like she was going to have a very Merry Christmas indeed with all the commissions she was about to make, brought them to the counter to pay for Caroline's new wardrobe.

"Happy Holidays," the girl said and grinned as she handed Stefan back his credit card. "And I hope you'll enjoy your new clothes, Mrs. Salvatore." Caroline was taken aback for a second before she felt Stefan's hand snake around her waist and he pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"We will," he responded and then picked up the bags. They walked out arm in arm, Caroline biting her lip to try to stop herself from grinning like an idiot. Kenneth stood waiting for them as they exited the store.

"Want to look at the Christmas windows before we head to the apartment?" Stefan asked as he helped Kenneth place the bags in the trunk.

"Sure," Caroline replied.

"Good," he said and turned to Kenneth, "we'll meet you back here?" The driver nodded his agreement and walked toward the driver's seat.

They slowly strolled hand in hand along 5th Avenue admiring the displays. The windows at Bergdorf were by far the most extravagant, the couture an afterthought compared to the scenes surrounding it. In one window, a stark white female mannequin sat upon a trapeze swing. Her feathered outfit seemed to ruffle in some phantom wind, a bevy of brightly colored fake birds filled the rest of the space. In another, sat a mannequin dressed as a psychic; she was draped in a flowing dress and head piece that seemed deep purple from some angles and midnight blue from others. The room surrounding her was a mix of muddled reds and black, the whole studded with jewels and sequins that were still outshone by the giant lion head decked out like a disco ball that stood in for a crystal ball. Across the street at the men's shop, the scenes were more subdued if still ridiculous. Here, all the mannequins' heads were replaced with those of animals: a hippo man as the ring leader, a lion tamer with a lion's head taming a row of penguins.

The windows at the other stores were less intricate, but still beautiful. The Tiffany theme was a winter wonderland, each scene rendered with small, delicate pieces of jewelry and the scenes cut out of pure, crisp white paper—classic engagement rings set in tiny cut sleds or necklaces and tennis bracelets hanging over fake trees like expensive frost. After taking an obscene amount of pictures, Caroline decided she had seen her fill and they headed back to the car. Stefan frowned at his watch after they all climbed in.

"We won't be able to catch any shows," he said, "but let's go through Times Square on our way home so Miss Forbes can see it." A few minutes later, Caroline was in complete awe as they drove through. The marquees for various shows and huge billboards flashing all around them were so bright it looked like an eerier version of daylight. Though most of the crowd had thinned since the shows had started, the sidewalks could barely contain the teeming hoard of pre-Christmas tourists. From there, they continued downtown, the streets less brightly lit and less crowded. The madness of Times Square replaced by a bustling atmosphere that still somehow seemed private, each person locked in their own thoughts and oblivious to anything except their movement toward their own destinations though they were surrounded by hundreds of faceless people.

They finally pulled up outside of a tall brownstone, its exterior almost completely unaltered since it was built sometime in the late 1800's. Stefan helped Caroline out of the car and she stared in awe as he quietly conferred with the driver. Sometimes she forgot how rich Stefan was, how long he had lived. As she looked up at the building's darkened windows and the door with frosted glass that sat atop the short stoop, she pondered its history. What had that house seen? What had the Stefan who lived in it for stretches at a time been like? What did it mean that he was bringing her here now? A place that not even Damon and Elena knew he owned. She started making her way up the stairs when she suddenly felt her feet being swept out from under her.

"Oh no you don't," Stefan said after he settled her in his arms. He stared down into her face affectionately and kept his eyes locked on hers even as he carried her up the stairs. She felt his hand leave her back as he leaned down slightly to unlock the door. He set her down just inside the threshold and cupped her face with his hands before kissing her softly. Pulling back, he smiled contentedly down at her and gently stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. "I'll be right back," he said softly and then disappeared down the stairs again.

Caroline unbuttoned her coat and took stock of the house's foyer. The immediate entrance was tiled in small black and white hexagonal tiles, clearly very old. After a few feet, the rest of the floors were covered in hard wood, also clearly part of the original building. Though she could see rooms off to the sides in the dim light, the space was mostly dominated by a tall staircase that wrapped around an elevator shaft. She heard a shuffling sound behind her and turned to see Stefan struggling to fit her shopping bags and their suitcase through the door. She could only stand there laughing as he finally managed to squeeze through the door frame and straightened up as if he'd had no trouble at all before kicking the door closed.

"This kind of thing is exactly why I had an elevator put in," Stefan said. "This way," he added and led her to the back of the staircase where the entrance to the elevator stood. Stefan opened the little lift's metal cross-hatched gate and once the bags and Caroline were inside, he closed the gate again and pressed the button marked "4."

"What's on the other floors?" Caroline asked as they glided past them, the windows along the front of the building, placed at intervals like some submarine stood on end, barely illuminated the house's contents.

"Library, music room, sitting room, office, some space to display the art I've collected over the years," he explained. "The bedroom, bathroom and laundry room are at the top," he finished. The elevator car shuddered to a stop and he opened the doors. "After you," he said and gestured with a swing of the bags. "It's the doors straight ahead." Caroline pushed the double doors open and Stefan slid past her to turn on the light.

Her first thought as her eyes adjusted to the light was surprise at just how large the room was, comprising most of the back section of the building on this floor and nearly reaching all the way to the edges of the building on both sides. An enormous bed with an ornate wooden frame dominated the space, the contrast between its dark gray linens and crisp white pillows (and her inevitable curiosity about how they would feel against her skin) making it difficult for her to look anywhere else. The room was sparsely decorated. Two small bedside tables with a lamp apiece sat on either side of the bed, a small writing desk sat in one corner, a narrow bookshelf that reached to the ceiling stood near it against the wall, a chaise lounge sat In another corner not too far from the window against the back wall.

As Caroline had studied the room's layout, Stefan had made his way to its right side where he set the bags down and slid open a door. He flicked on a light that revealed a huge walk-in closet.

"I'm going to put your new stuff and our suitcase in here for now," Stefan said and stepped inside. "I'll let you get ready first."

"Where are we going?" Caroline asked and walked toward the closet.

"Hunting," Stefan responded. "Last time I was here, there was a lot of hype about a new club opening nearby and I hear it's only gotten more popular since." When Caroline reached the door of the closet, she found Stefan kneeling just inside, rummaging through the shopping bags. He finally found what he was looking for and lifted the silver dress she had bought earlier out of its bag.

"I think you should wear this," he said and held it out to her.

"I don't get a say in this?" Caroline asked teasingly.

"After what I went through? Absolutely not." He narrowed his eyes at her trying to look stern, but the hint of a smile played on his lips. She rolled her eyes and took the dress from his hand.

Caroline had to admit, the dress was a good choice. She ran her hands through her freshly blow dried hair to make sure the waves flowed just right and gave one last touch up to her makeup before turning from the mirror and stepping out into the bedroom. She had secretly hoped she'd get to see the same look on Stefan's face as when she had walked out of the dressing room a few hours earlier, but instead found him looking troubled.

"Are you sure?" he said into his phone. As he listened to the response, his face was intent as if he were hanging onto every word. He raised his right hand to entwine his fingers in his hair. His eyebrows shot up in surprise when he noticed Caroline, more from the realization that she was in the room at all than any affect her appearance was having on him.

"Understood," he said after a few more moments of listening to a voice that sounded like Klaus's on the other end. "Caroline and I are about to go hunting. I'll call you tomorrow." He hung up the phone and quickly stuffed it in his pocket before turning to Caroline.

"Is everything ok?" she asked and walked over to him, placing a palm against his chest.

"That was Klaus," Stefan said, trying to sound nonchalant, but unable to hide the shakiness in his voice. "He just wanted to see how the trip was going." He placed his hands on her hips. "You look incredible." He leaned down to kiss her, but Caroline pushed him away.

"Seriously," she insisted, "what's wrong?" Stefan smiled down at her and pressed his forehead to hers.

"I promise you, it's nothing," he said softly and kissed the tip of her nose. "We just might have to change a few travel plans. We can figure it out tomorrow," he added before letting go of her and walking across the room. "And the finishing touch," he said and picked up her necklace from the bed. He swirled his finger around in the air and she turned to face the full-length mirror in the corner nearest the closet. He brought the chain down around her neck and fastened the clasp then wrapped this arms around her and pulled her against him, burying his face against her neck. Caroline placed one hand over his where it pressed against her stomach and raised the other to rest in his hair. There was something more than desire or affection in his touch, something about the way he was gripping her felt like desperation, like whatever Klaus had said to him on the phone was unnerving him more than he wanted to admit to her or himself.

"Maybe we should stay in tonight," Caroline suggested. "We can still go hunting tomorrow." Stefan sighed and pressed a kiss to her neck before releasing her.

"Not a chance," he replied. "I'd never live it down if I let you get all dressed up and then didn't give you somewhere to go." He picked up a a midnight blue blazer that matched his slacks and pulled it on over a white shirt that was unbuttoned just enough to be borderline arrogant. "Plus we need to hunt, I want you at full strength later."

"What are we doing later?" Caroline asked absentmindedly as she smoothed the creases Stefan's embrace had left in her dress.

"I take that dress off of you," he said and winked at her in the mirror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a few things. First of all, a big thank you to my Tumblr lover expectajayus who was kind enough to let me run the concept for this chapter by her. Second, for those who are wondering, this was a mostly accurate picture of NYC, which I'd like to point out I had decided to bring Stefan and Caroline to before the show did it for Damon and Elena. The chocolate mess is (blessedly) no longer on the menu at Max Brenner's and of course the one year I didn't take pictures of the 5th Avenue Christmas windows was 2010, which I think is where the show's timeline would put this story. So, I mixed and created based on years past.


	16. Giving In

Caroline had assumed Kenneth would take them wherever they were going, as he had the rest of the day. So, she was a little surprised when the elevator descended past the ground floor and fluorescent lights automatically flipped on to reveal an underground garage filled with vehicles that were a veritable showcase of luxury throughout the past century.

"Wow," was all she could manage to say as Stefan slid open the elevator gate. He turned back and smiled at her as he stepped out.

"They used to store carriages here," he explained as he walked, "when cars became the preferred mode of transportation, I had it converted." He made his way past the big yellow Rolls that had probably seen some pretty rollicking parties before the stock market crashed and a flashy red coupe with a trident logo on the front before opening the passenger door of a sleek black BMW, the sedan version of the one he drove back in North Carolina.

"Why can't we take the red one?" Caroline asked, her voice sounding a little pouty. Stefan smirked.

"We're going to need something a little less memorable considering what we're doing," he answered. Caroline flinched a little; she didn't need a reminder.

They weren't driving long when the car came to a stop in front of what looked like a hotel. Two thick white bands of tile marked the path to a revolving door. The large yellow cylindrical entrance matched by the minimalist, blocky, yellow, metal benches and tables arranged in the courtyard. Caroline hugged the vintage cream-colored fur coat Stefan had produced from that enormous closet to her a little tighter. The cold had turned a little sharp since their stroll through Central Park.

The lobby was almost severe compared to the courtyard, the color of the bands inverted and more heavily contrasted to match the white walls, black furniture and identical granite counters at the end of the room. The sharply-dressed concierge behind one of the desks smiled as they walked past him and down a hall to a bank of elevators.

Another couple was waiting too, though they were clearly drunk from the way they unabashedly pawed at each other. They stumbled into the elevator when the doors opened and Stefan gave Caroline a helpless shrug as they followed them. The couple had detached long enough to press the button for the top floor and Stefan frowned a bit when he saw they'd be sharing the whole ride with them. The sight (and especially the noises they were making) seemed a little indecent to Caroline, but it also made her wish there were a little less fabric between her skin and the warmth of Stefan's hand resting on her hip.

The doors opened onto a wood-paneled hallway and the other couple was still too involved in each other to notice, so Caroline tried to step out, but of course that's the moment when the guy disengaged and practically shoved her out of the way as he dragged the girl behind him.

"Excuse you," the guy slurred and the girl laughed. Caroline felt Stefan's hand leave her side and saw it shove the guy out of the elevator. He stumbled and steadied himself on the opposite side of the hallway before dropping the girl's hand and turning on Stefan with outright rage on his face.

"Watch it, asshole," he said and took a step toward Stefan.

"Jimmy, stop," the girl said and placed a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off immediately and turned his rage toward her. "Don't..." he started, but Stefan forced him against the wall again before looking into his eyes, compelling him.

"I think you had better calm down," he said and the guy's posture relaxed.

"He didn't mean anything by it," the girl suggested.

"Yes, he did," Stefan replied and turned to her, "but you didn't. Is he your boyfriend?" She nodded and her face went blank as Stefan started to compel her as well. "You guys are going to get into a fight tonight and you'll break up with him."

"Stefan!" Caroline protested, "Was that necessary?" He gently turned the couple toward the noise of the bar and they snapped out of the compulsion, holding hands, but definitely not as affectionate as before.

"Oh come on," Stefan replied and crinkled his forehead dismissively. "I didn't say the breakup had to be permanent."

"I just wish you wouldn't do that macho protective thing," Caroline countered. "I can take care of myself just fine," she said with a huff and walked past him down the hall.

"I'm well aware," he said seductively, grabbed her hips and nuzzled her neck. She giggled despite herself and elbowed him in the stomach.

The hall opened up into a large foyer. An attendant stood behind a desk to their right before a spectacular view of the downtown skyline. They handed him their coats and Stefan led her to the left toward the sound of a jazz band playing an upbeat tune instead of to the right through black doors through which she could hear a thumping bass line.

The hall opened up into a room that seemed to glow with a bronze light. Mirrors on a wall to the left reflecting the light and opening up the space more while on the right, white patent leather lounges filled a lower level in front of a breathtaking view of downtown. Straight ahead sat a bar with a stunning cornucopia-like feature in the middle that flowed toward the ceiling and held numerous bottles of alcohol near the bottom, the rest of bottles filling the far wall. Caroline assumed Stefan would lead her toward the recessed seating, already teeming with people mingling and drinking, but instead he led her toward the band to seating that looked out on a view of midtown so stunning that it actually took her breath away for a moment. The seats in this space were already occupied, but Stefan leaned down and placed his hands on the shoulders of a flirty couple.

"Maybe it's time you two took this somewhere a bit more intimate," he said and looked into both their eyes. They stood immediately and headed out of the bar. Stefan turned and splayed his hands out behind him as if to say "ta da" and Caroline shook her head at him before taking a seat.

Stefan didn't sit down right away, instead heading to the bar to grab drinks. Caroline watched him as he quickly hailed the bartender and ordered. He looked like he belonged in this space. The perfect tailoring of his suit and the air of confidence he projected drew the eyes of quite a few women, but those who sauntered up to him were met with the same polite smile and a gesture to where Caroline was sitting. She wasn't totally proud to admit it, but she felt a smug sense of pride at the look of disappointment or jealousy on the girls' faces. She liked knowing that Stefan belonged to her and vice versa. Finally, he returned bearing two drinks, handing her the opaque one and keeping the amber one for himself. She guessed from the mint leaves floating around it that he'd ordered a mojito, but she was surprised when a slightly sweet liqueur hit her taste buds.

"What's in here?" she asked.

"Had them throw in a little elderberry liqueur," he replied, "I thought you might enjoy it."

"Too smooth," she said and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. She took another sip of her drink before asking, "So, how exactly are we supposed to hunt here?" Stefan smiled and draped his arm over her.

"Crowded bars or clubs are the perfect place to look for prey," he said matter-of-factly. "The noise provides a degree of privacy, inhibitions are lowered and people won't remember seeing you together when they go missing." Caroline nodded her understanding, though the way Stefan's fingers traced patterns on the skin of her bare shoulder made it a little difficult for her to focus. "So, what you have to do tonight," he said and lifted a finger off the side of his glass to graze her nose playfully, "is find a victim, get them back to the apartment and feed on them." He took a sip from his drink and smiled down at her.

She was about to ask him exactly how she was supposed to go about that when a terrific slapping sound rang out across the room, drawing all attention to a couple sitting at the bar. Caroline recognized them as the pair that Stefan had compelled outside of the elevator. The girl angrily gathered her things and stormed toward the door. The guy, clearly embarrassed, quickly threw some money down on the counter before following her out, calling out "Karen, wait!" as he went. The bar quickly returned to its previous noise level as the assorted revelers talked about what had just happened.

"That shouldn't be too hard," Caroline said, trying to ignore how bad she felt that that whole scene had occurred because that guy had bumped into her, "I'll just compel someone."

"Absolutely not," Stefan responded, looking stern. "That's cheating, Caroline. That would completely defeat the purpose of us coming here." He downed the rest of his drink and added, "lucky for me, I don't have that rule," before placing his glass down on the small table in front of him.

He turned to his left toward a brunette whose boyfriend or, more likely, future hook up had just gotten up to get them another round. "Excuse me," he said sweetly. The girl turned and from the way she wobbled slightly at the action, Caroline could tell she was sloshed. She smiled when she saw Stefan's face.

"Hi there," she slurred, trying and failing to look seductive.

"Hi," he replied, "would you mind coming with us?" He took one of each girl's hand in his and began to lead them out of the bar. When they reached the foyer, he turned to the coat check attendant and asked, "Bathroom?" The guy smirked lecherously and pointed to a dark passage across the hall and Stefan winked at him before leading the girls down it.

"Ugh," Caroline exclaimed, "that was disgusting." Stefan lightly shoved the other girl into a bathroom stall before pulling Caroline to his side. "I'll make it up to you," he said lowly and Caroline thought she might faint from the rush of desire that flowed through her. He gestured for her to step into the stall–though in this case, the term seemed inadequate. The space was large enough that the three of them fit in there quite comfortably, the heavy door (which Stefan locked behind them) giving them complete privacy. The walls and most of the features were covered in black, reflective paneling with silver fixtures on the sink and toilet and a single orange bar of light in the far corner. But all that was nothing compared to the view. One full wall of the stall was a window that looked out onto the city, the Empire State Building shining in the background with the lights of hundreds if other buildings twinkling all around.

"Is this one way glass,"Caroline asked as she marveled at the view.

"I don't think so," Stefan replied. Caroline stepped back, a little uncomfortable with the exhibitionism of it even though most of the surrounding buildings weren't nearly as tall as the hotel, but Stefan pushed the compelled girl's back against the glass. "Don't scream," he said and then bit roughly into her neck. Caroline saw the girl's eyes go wide with panic, her gaze turning to look directly into her own to beg for help. Months ago, it probably would have been the kind of thing that gave Caroline nightmares for weeks, but the smell of the girl's blood filled her senses and the sight of Stefan losing himself in the taste left room for only two emotions in her mind: hunger and envy. How she wished it was her pressed against that glass, she and Stefan feeding on each other. She was just reaching out to him when he suddenly detached from the girl's neck and bit into his own wrist, pressing the wound to the girl's lips until she drank enough of his blood to heal the bite marks he'd left.

"Forget everything that just happened in here," he said to the girl, "go back to your seat and forget you ever saw us." He opened the door and let the girl out before closing and locking it again. "Unfortunately, we can't leave dead bodies in this place," Stefan said, now facing the sink and readjusting his suit in the mirror. "I wouldn't usually heal them, but I wanted to make sure nothing looked off about that girl's body. There's already so much coke in her system and with the blood loss, I doubt she'll be able to take much more toni..." But he didn't get to finish as Caroline suddenly grabbed his arm and flung him against the window, slamming her lips onto his.

The veins under her eyes swelled with blood as the taste of the girl's blood mingled with the taste of his saliva on her tongue. His arms wrapped around her in a crushing embrace, her feet lifting off the ground slightly. Her right hand moved from where it was entangled in his hair and slid down his torso until it reached his groin where she began to massage his already stiffening cock. Stefan's body tensed at the sensation and he broke the kiss.

"Caroline, wait," he panted out and tried to push her off. Caroline wouldn't be deterred so easily though. She couldn't take the waiting anymore, she needed him now, exhibitionism be damned. She pressed her lips to his again, hoping to convince him to keep going, but he was determined. Suddenly, he flipped their positions, one of her wrists in each of his hands, pressed hard above her head against the glass. She lunged at him again and nearly succeeded in switching their places again, but he was too strong and turned her around toward the window before trapping her body between it and his own. She moaned and dropped her head back onto his shoulder as he ground his erection against her to get her attention, his hands interlaced with hers where he held them against the glass. Their breathing slowed as the seconds ticked by, Stefan placing soft kisses on the exposed side of her neck that calmed her determination but not her need.

"Not here," Stefan said shakily. "And not until you've fed." Caroline let out a frustrated sigh and brought her forehead against the cool glass.

"Fine," she said and Stefan eased off of her. She turned and glared at him; of course when she was finally ready to give in he put the breaks on. Well, she could make him regret that. "Let's get this over with," she said and wrenched open the door before stalking back toward the bar. Stefan stopped her just as she reached the mirrored wall.

"Not there," he said and pointed to two black doors in the opposite direction, "there." She pushed past him and burst through them, her ears suddenly assaulted by the sound of pounding dance music. Every surface in the club was painted pitch black, the lights from the surrounding city and the strobe light reflecting off the disco ball providing most of the illumination. She scanned the room for potential prey before her eyes landed on the guy from the elevator, sitting at the bar and brooding into a half empty glass. Perfect.

"Stay here," she said and pushed Stefan behind her. She modified her body language, toning down the aggression and giving a more sultry sway to her hips. "Hi," she said suggestively and slid up to the guy until their elbows touched on the bar counter. He smiled for a second before he recognized her and started to back away.

"Listen lady, you've done enough to ruin my life tonight," he said. But she reached out and stopped him from walking away, her hand firm on his bicep.

"I know," she said, making her voice sound as vapid and babyish as possible. "I feel  _so_  bad about what my bodyguard did to you," she said and gestured to where Stefan stood quietly fuming in the corner. He smirked a little at the sight (his ego clearly stroked) and Caroline knew she had him. "Let me make it up to you," she cooed and slid her hand up his thigh until she felt his bulge beneath the fabric of his pants. He looked unsure for a moment before the look of searing jealousy on Stefan's face convinced him.

"Ok," he said and stood.

"Good," Caroline replied and grabbed his hand, leading him back to the coat check just outside the club doors. They grabbed their things and headed for the elevator, Caroline making sure to hang all over the guy as the car descended to the lobby. She smiled as Stefan clenched his fists in barely controlled rage. When they got to the car, she actually waited until he opened and closed the doors for them, the way he looked at her suggesting that she'd regret it later. She didn't let up during the short ride home either, pawing at the guy and kissing his neck while his hands slid up her dress. The sound of Stefan's hands tightening on the steering wheel only pushing her further.

Before long, they arrived back at the apartment. Stefan opened the doors for them once again, his jaw clenched as he struggled not to snap the guy's neck as the latter marveled at the assorted vintage cars. As the elevator glided up, Caroline's heart began to pound at the knowledge that she would have to kill the guy standing next to her, his hand placed possessively on her ass. She refused to think about that though, all that mattered now was completing her training and finally getting her hands on Stefan. The car suddenly stopped on the ground floor and she gave Stefan a quizzical glance as he slid the gate open.

"Easier clean up," he said and led them into a room to the right where he flicked on the lights to reveal a lushly furnished sitting room. He walked to the back of it and stood behind one of the couches, his hands gripping the back nearly to the point of breaking it. Caroline stopped just inside the door and turned the guy so that his back was turned toward Stefan. She kissed down his chin toward his neck, her eyes locked directly onto Stefan's. She smiled wickedly at the way he breathed hard as he watched her. Just when it seemed his jealousy might break him, she finally bared her fangs and sank them into the guy's neck. He let out a terrified scream and began to struggle against her, breaking the antique Forbes family necklace in the process. But she was enjoying the taste of his blood too much to care. A sense of power filled her at the knowledge that there was nothing he could do to escape and excitement built with it as his weakening movements meant she was that much closer to finally having Stefan. Finally, the guy's body went limp in her arms and she sucked the last drops of blood from him before dropping his lifeless carcass to the ground.

She licked the blood off her lips and Stefan felt his cock harden at the sight. They paused a moment seeing who would move first when, as if on cue, they both launched themselves at each other and came crashing together in the middle of the room. They were both so desperate to feel their bare skin pressed against the other that their movements looked more like a fistfight than lovemaking. Stefan grabbed her dress at the collar, tearing it apart until she was left in nothing but a lacy set of undergarments. Caroline tore his shirt open, the buttons flying everywhere as she shredded the seams of his jacket instead of waiting for him to shrug it off. He ripped open her bra from the front and wrapped one hand around her waist as the other cupped a breast. His lips pressed against her chest with bruising force before his tongue darted out to lick her nipple and then sucked it into his mouth, his teeth grazing against it in a way that made Caroline cry out in pleasure.

She wanted nothing more than to let him throw her onto the nearest couch and pound into her until she came screaming his name, but he had been in control for months, setting the terms. It was her turn. She reached down and undid his belt and plunged her hand down the front of his pants, wrapping her fingers tightly around his cock. The sudden thrill that went up his spine caused him to moan and he released his grip on her just enough to look into her face. His eyes were clouded with lust and Caroline knew she was in control as she began to pump her hand up and down his shaft, her thumb swiping over his tip each time she reached it, just as she had seen him do in the shower.

She sat him down and knelt in front of him, only taking her hand off his dick long enough to take off his pants. He stared down at her, transfixed and panting as she leaned down and slowly ran her tongue over his tip. He moaned and his body tensed, his hands nearly tearing into the couch's upholstery. Caroline smiled at his reaction, but was even more excited by the fact that even here, his taste reminded her of Mystic Falls. Her hand continued to pump along his shaft as she teased his tip, swirling her tongue around it one second and then taking it into her mouth the next before running her tongue along his full length from tip to base and back again.

After a few minutes of teasing him, Caroline finally took her hand from him and spread his thighs wider before leaning down again and taking in as much of his length into her mouth as she could and bobbing her head up and down as she sucked on him hard. Stefan dropped his head onto the couch back with a ragged moan and shut his eyes, totally focused on the sensations she was creating with just her mouth. She slid one hand up over his chiseled abs to his chest and splayed it over his rapidly beating heart, while the other alternated between twisting at his base and massaging his balls. Every once In a while, she would pull back almost completely, only keeping his head in her mouth as she used the built up saliva to glide her hand deliciously back and forth over his length before taking him into her mouth again. Stefan slid his fingers into her hair and gently rocked his hips in rhythm with her movements. He watched her as she expertly moved her mouth over his cock, quickly bringing him close to completion.

"Caroline," he gasped, "I'm gonna cum." He felt her smile against him before pulling back completely and looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"Go ahead," she said and took him back into her mouth without hesitation, her movements even faster and harder than they were before. She felt him throbbing against her lips, his pounding pleasure and the moans he was making causing her to ache with need. His hand suddenly tightened in her hair and he yelled out her name as his cock twitched against her tongue. She pulled back and wrapped her lips around his head as he came, the taste warm and salty and reminiscent of home. She continued to slowly pump him as he came down from his orgasm and licked every last drop of glistening cum from his tip.

She sat back on her heels and looked up at him. He was panting hard and looked totally relaxed and satisfied. He finally raised his head off the back of the couch and smiled down at her.

"You're fucking amazing," he said and leaned forward to take her face in his hands and kiss her, not even hesitating at the knowledge that he could still taste himself in her mouth. He reached down between her legs and into her panties, her wetness telling him she was more than ready. She moaned against his mouth at the contact and broke the kiss to stand in front of him. He reached out and slid her panties down her legs and she braced herself with her hands on his shoulders as she stepped out of them. Stefan wrapped his arms around her ass and pulled her close, trailing kisses down her stomach. He longed to taste her and was just about to lay her down onto the couch and bury his face between her thighs when she pulled at his hair to get his attention. He looked up at her, confused, and rested his chin on her stomach.

"Later," she said softly, "right now I need you inside me. You need more time?" He smiled and stood, quickly turning her around and pulling her against him.

"There are benefits to being a vampire," he whispered in her ear and from the way his cock pressed against her, she knew it was true. He turned her toward the couch and roughly pushed her down onto it so that she was kneeling, one hand on the back and the other on the armrest. He nudged her legs further open with his knee, gave his cock a few sharp tugs and thrust himself completely inside her. She screamed at the feeling of him stretching her, filling her, the pleasure of it almost overwhelming. He stilled for a moment to let her get used to his size, her tightness like nothing he'd ever felt before. He slowly pulled out, leaving just his head in before gliding back in at the same achingly arousing pace. He did this a few more times, obsessed with the sight of himself moving in and out of her after dreaming of doing so for so long. Her squeals of pleasure willed him to go faster, but he knew that the quicker she came, the sooner the night would end and he wanted it to last, he wanted her to last.

Finally, Caroline couldn't take the way he was teasing her anymore and she managed to pant out a simple "faster." Stefan gladly obliged, placing one hand on either side of her hips and quickly rolling his hips against her, pushing himself as hard and deep as possible with each thrust. The way she cried out each time giving him nearly as much pleasure as the movement did.

Caroline quickly felt herself coming undone. Never in her life had she experienced sex this mind-blowing. Maybe it was because being a vampire heightened every sensation or maybe it was because Stefan was bigger than anyone she had ever been with, but either way, she felt like she could do this forever. And she could. Stefan was finally completely hers. She had gotten him to feel again, they could finally escape Klaus for good and return to Mystic Falls. But she couldn't really think about that now, the way Stefan moved inside her was all she could think about.

He began to pick up the pace as he felt her clenching around him. He wanted to feel her cum, wanted to make sure this was the best orgasm she ever experienced. Her breath became more ragged as he pounded into her. He reached around her body and sunk his fingers into her folds, roughly massaging her clit. Caroline yelped at the contact and arched her back.

Stefan knew he couldn't last much longer, the slightly altered position driving him wild. The sight of her exposed neck so close was more than he could resist. He took his hand from her hip and wrapped it around her neck to pull her against him before baring his fangs and sinking them into her neck.

Caroline interlaced their fingers around her neck and held on for dear life as her orgasm suddenly rocked through her in wave after wave of pleasure. The way he had totally claimed her–his hand on her clit, his cock thrusting into her, his lips draining her blood–overwhelming her senses and pushing her over the edge. With a final, hard thrust he came inside her, the vibrations of her own orgasm and the taste of her blood on his lips causing pleasure to explode across his body. He took his teeth from her neck and knelt down on the couch behind her as they both came down. They breathed together for a few moments, unwilling to separate and unable to move anyway.

Finally, Stefan pulled out and sat down on the couch next to her. He grabbed Caroline's face and brought her lips to his for a slow, loving kiss. She straddled him, lowering herself lightly onto his lap and running her fingers through his hair. After what seemed like hours, she broke the kiss and looked down at him.

"That was incredible," she said and leaned down again to kiss him gently. "What's next?" she asked playfully, repeating the phrase she had uttered so often during their training sessions. Stefan laughed and wrapped his arms around her before standing. She yelped and giggled in surprise before wrapping her legs around his hips; his dick already starting to get hard again.

"Bedroom," he said and kissed her as he carried her out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we've caught up. I should be posting a new chapter within the next week or so. Thanks for reading and please leave some feedback, good or bad, it's appreciated either way.


	17. Flying Solo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, first of all, I want to apologize for how damn long it's taken me to update this fic. I got very distracted writing Olicity for the last 6 months and I frankly became a little disillusioned with TVD after last year's season finale. With that in mind, I want to emphasize that this is always the way the story was going to end. I wanted to put this and the next chapter up as one, but this section was a bit long and the problem with taking so much time off between chapters is that I've been struggling to get back into the groove with this story. I find the best remedy for writer's block is reader feedback. ;)

Sheriff Forbes crashed through the forest, the full moon's light barely illuminating her way through the heavy fog. She had been running full out for the last few minutes, but she knew she had to find a hiding place soon if she had any hope of escaping the monster pursuing her. The final clip in her gun was empty and though she could brandish it at her attacker as a threat, she was essentially defenseless.

Her breath came in ragged gasps as she leaned against a tree for a few moments to rest. But the break was short-lived as the sounds of her pursuer crashing through the trees reminded her of how much danger she was in. She looked around frantically for a place to hide until her eyes finally settled on a space beneath a fallen tree. It didn't provide much coverage, but it would have to do.

She ran and dropped to the ground, scrambling into the damp, cramped space and scooting as far back as possible so as not to be seen. She waited, watching for the slightest sign of her pursuer, the only sounds the pounding of her pulse and her ragged breathing.

Suddenly, the sound of cracking wood filled her ears and the cool night air whooshed around her as the fallen tree acting as her refuge was wrenched from the ground and flung into the distance. Sheriff Forbes desperately tried to run, but she felt a hand grab the back of her shirt and her feet left the ground as she went flying in the same direction as the tree. She came down hard against the wood and winced as pain suddenly flowered in her side, knowing at least one rib had been broken. None of that really mattered now though. She stared up, tears filling her eyes and started to beg.

"Caroline, honey, please," she pled, her voice breaking. "Please don't this."

But the thing staring back at her—its eyes red with blood and its fangs bared—paid no heed. It only smiled in triumph and lunged, sinking its teeth into its prey.

* * *

Caroline awoke with a start, her face streaked with tears and her breathing ragged. She looked around, her surroundings unfamiliar until she remembered coming to New York. She was still in the master bedroom of Stefan's apartment.

"Stefan?" she called out and instinctively reached toward his side of the bed. She felt something crunch under her hand and looked over to see a now slightly crumpled piece of paper. She picked it up and recognized his familiar script.

_Caroline,_

_I'm sorry I had to leave without saying goodbye. Klaus needed me and I didn't want to wake you._

_Unfortunately, that means I won't get to fly back with you. Guess we'll have to wait until next time to join the mile-high club. The plane is scheduled to return to Tetorboro after it drops me off and should be ready to take off around 7. I've written Kenneth's number below so you can call him to take you sight-seeing. There's a phone in my office on the 3rd floor. I'll see you back home tonight._

_Stefan_

_P.S. In case you've worked up a bit of an appetite after last night, you should have him take you up to 73rd to a restaurant called Alice's Tea Cup. I know how much you love tea and scones and they have the best._

_P.P.S. Don't get the lemon tart._

Caroline smiled at his thoughtfulness, but it quickly faded at the prospect of spending the rest of the day without him. She could certainly use his comforting touch right now. It had been so long since she had woken up terrified by her own nightmares that she had forgotten how much they disturbed her. The room was much colder than she remembered it being yesterday when they first arrived, but, of course, she hadn't been naked then. Flashes of the night they spent together flooded her mind and she focused on them, hoping thoughts of Stefan would be equally as powerful as his physical presence.

The images and sensations were so vivid that she could feel herself blushing as she remembered them. The sound of their laughter when he threw her onto the bed and the way it quickly turned to sounds of pleasure as he covered her body with his. The torturous trail of kisses he slowly placed down her abdomen and the divine sensation when his lips reached the place she most needed them. His hand bringing her knee to her chest as he hovered over her, the new angle allowing him to thrust deeper. The way he stifled her moans with a kiss, his tongue still tasting slightly of her as it swept through her mouth. Her hand on his chest as she steadied herself while riding him and the look on his face as he stared up at her. His hooded eyes so full of lust that she felt a little dirty—though that only made her move faster, the desire to see him come making her even more aroused. The moments after, when they lay entangled, his slow, passionate kisses the last thing she remembered before falling asleep.

Caroline slowly exhaled, simultaneously releasing most of her body's tension. She glanced around at the bed and stifled a giggle with her hand when she noticed how thoroughly disheveled the sheets were. But then she spotted the broken Forbes antique necklace sitting where Stefan's note had been sitting and her smile faltered. Perhaps her mother had been right about it being to fragile for wearing. The small reminder of Liz Forbes was enough to bring all her discomfort to the foreground again.

The image of her mother's face as she stared up at a bloodthirsty Caroline stayed with her even as she showered, dressed and packed. Stefan's sudden absence after so many months spent in almost constant contact left her feeling even more imbalanced. She considered staying inside all day until it was time to fly home, hoping being close to his possessions would make her feel Stefan's absence less, but as she wandered the library on the townhouse's third floor, the loneliness she felt when she discovered a battered first edition of _East of Eden_ hit her so forcefully she decided going out might be better.

She found the phone on top of Stefan's desk and read Kenneth's number from Stefan's note, quickly dialing it and raising the receiver to her ear.

"Hello?" the driver's voice intoned after the third ring.

"Hi, Kenneth?" she said. "This is Caroline, um, Forbes. Stefan said you could pick me up?"

"Yes, hi, Miss Forbes," he said jovially. "When would you like me to get there?"

"Um, as soon as you can? I want to get brea–," she paused and glanced at a clock, "lunch. When can you get here?"

"About 45 minutes. Oh, and Mr. Salvatore asked me to tell you that I've already got the items you purchased yesterday in my trunk. We loaded them in when I picked him up earlier."

"Oh, so that's where it went," Caroline sighed. "I thought I might have dreamt the whole thing."

"Nope," Kenneth said with a chuckle. "I'll give you a call when I'm downstairs."

"Great, thanks," she replied and then heard the click as he hung up.

She plopped down in one of the library's worn leather chairs and stared into space, unsure what to do until the driver arrived. Her fingers were already in the process of dialing before she realized what she was doing. For months, she had followed Stefan's rules, severing all contact with anyone in Mystic Falls, but her nightmare had unnerved her more than she realized and she needed to make sure her mother was OK. Surely he wouldn't begrudge her that.

Caroline pressed send and brought the phone to her ear, only to be met with the sound of her mother's voice mail. This was not uncommon, as much as her mother needed to be reachable at all times, she often forgot to charge her phone after coming home late. It was entirely possible Liz Forbes had forgotten to plug it in before going to sleep and still hadn't woken up yet. She called the house next, hoping to wake her mother out of bed and planning to hang up immediately if she did, but after five rings, the answering machine clicked on. She listened to her mother's recorded voice, the sound more comforting than she ever expected and then quickly hung up when it beeped for her to leave a message. She tried her mother's office phone next, sure she would pick up there and startled when a woman whose voice she recognized as her mother's secretary answered. For a moment, Caroline considered asking to speak to her mother, pretending to be just another random citizen of Mystic Falls, but Janet had heard her voice too many times over the years and would recognize her immediately. Caroline quickly hung up the phone and turned it anxiously in her hands.

It was odd for her mother to not pick up at least one of her phones, but still perfectly easy to explain. Cell phone reception could be spotty in the woods and perhaps she was out on a case there, covering up another "animal attack." Caroline briefly smiled at the idea of her mother working when a horrible image from her nightmare flashed through her mind. She shook her head to get it out of her mind and stood to browse the books in the library again, hoping to find something to distract her until Kenneth picked her up.

* * *

As promised, Kenneth arrived 45 minutes later.

"Hello, Miss Forbes," he greeted her as she stepped out onto the building's stoop.

"Hi, Kenneth," she replied. "And, please, call me Caroline."

"OK. Here, let me take your bag."

"Thanks," she replied and handed him the single suitcase she and Stefan had brought.

"So, where to?" he asked as he led her to the car.

"Stefan said there's a place on 73rd..." she started.

"Right, Alice's," he interjected and opened her door. "He mentioned you might want to go this morning." Caroline climbed in the car and Kenneth swung the door shut before jogging to the trunk to place the suitcase inside. Even when he wasn't here, Stefan seemed to have everything planned and the thought only made her miss him more.

"So, what time did you pick Stefan up this morning?" she asked after Kenneth climbed into the car and pulled into traffic.

"3 am." Caroline frowned. Stefan probably hadn't slept at all before packing up and leaving. She must have been exhausted to not be woken up.

"Wow, that must have been a rude awakening for you."

"Oh no, he sent me a message about 10:30 last night, so I got a good amount of sleep."

"Oh," Caroline replied absently. 10:30, that would have been before they got to the club and after Stefan got that call from Klaus. So he had known then that he would have to leave her alone today. She wondered why he hadn't told her. Probably so she wouldn't ask him exactly what "errand" could be so important that Klaus couldn't leave them alone for one damn day. When she was with Stefan again later (after she spent a few minutes showing him how much she had missed him, of course) she would try to convince him to leave. Klaus wouldn't be so quick to let them go, but with everyone in Mystic Falls behind them, they could find a way to keep him away. And if that didn't work, they could disappear, run from him just like Katherine had for so many years. It wasn't ideal, but she would have done anything to be with Stefan.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Caroline asked if Kenneth wanted to join her in hopes of not being alone, but he declined, explaining he had already eaten.

With a little compulsion, she was seated quickly at a small table for two, the fact that her purse occupied the seat opposite only making her more aware of Stefan's absence. She spent most of her lunch wondering what he was doing, wishing he and Klaus hadn't taken away her cell phone all those months ago so that she could at least check in.  
She took Stefan's advice and tried the scones. The ham and cheese was so mind-blowingly good that she ordered another for the trip home. She looked up the lemon tart on the menu and laughed when she read that it contained vervain. Even so, she didn't feel much mirth and she left the tea pot half full in her desperation to leave.

"Where else can I take you?" Kenneth asked when she climbed in the car. Caroline checked the clock on the car's dash and frowned when she saw she still had hours before the plane took off.

"Um, I don't know," she said with a shrug. "Do they do plays in the middle of the day?"

"Only on weekends," he replied sympathetically. "How about the Met? We're not too far from there and you could probably spend two days in there and not see everything."

"OK," Caroline agreed, though she wasn't sure what "The Met" was.

She quickly discovered it was an art museum when Kenneth stopped the car in front of a huge grey building embedded in the side of Central Park's east side, large banners proclaiming the attractions inside.

I'll be parked right on that street over there," Kenneth said as she stepped out of the car, his pointed finger indicating a street that ran perpendicular to the museum.

"Thanks," Caroline said and smiled.

"And don't listen to the signs," Kenneth added as he climbed into the car. "You pay whatever you want to get in, those prices are just suggested." He closed the door and Caroline watched him pull into traffic a little wistfully, unenthusiastic at the prospect of wandering the museum alone.

She trudged up the snow-covered stairs, the salt granules strewn over them doing little to counter the rapidly falling snowflakes and the layer that had accumulated yesterday. The museum's foyer was warm and crowded, filled with the echoes of excited tourists and groups of school children on field trips. She studied the signs as she waited in line, finally spotting the microscopic print under the prices explaining that they were suggested. She paid the full price anyway; she was a tourist, and Stefan, who had left a hefty stack of bills in her purse, could afford it.

After picking up a map, she decided to head for the Egyptian temple–convinced that it couldn't possibly mean what it said–only to be stunned when she walked into a huge, open room with a large stone structure in its middle, outlined by still pools of water. She walked around the edge, averse to mingling with the small crowd struggling to enter the structure.

Caroline was walking to the small door at the back corner of the room when she spotted a man not much older than her sketching the structure in a small leather-bound book. She stopped at a distance, watching his hand move over the paper as he expertly recreated the building. He was cute, his hair tousled like Stefan's but closer to Tyler's in color. He wore glasses that added to his appearance rather than detracted and while his winter coat lay on the bench next to him, he still wore a muted blue scarf around his neck.

With a final flourish, the man completed the drawing and then paused to stare at it a moment. He looked up at the temple one last time before closing the book and standing. He stood and collected his things before turning in the direction of the door Caroline had planned to walk through. Caroline wasn't sure what possessed her to follow him in that moment, but as she quietly tracked him as he wandered through various galleries, she realized she was stalking him like prey. While the thought initially startled her, the idea of hunting and the memories of what she and Stefan had done after her last kill flashed through her mind, bringing a secretive smile to her lips. She wasn't particularly thirsty, but she may as well make up for the blood Stefan had taken from her while she had the chance.

She continued to follow the man, mostly unaware of the art surrounding her and more conscious of the fact that wherever he was going, it happened to be away from most of the crowd. When he led her to an area of the museum filled with antique furniture, Caroline stilled and listened. The nearest person seemed to be many rooms away and she decided now was as good a time as any.

"Excuse me," she said and approached the man. He turned, confused for a moment and then smiling appreciatively when he saw Caroline.

"Yes?" he said hopefully.

"Don't make a sound," Caroline commanded, compelling him. Before he had time to do more than stare at her in confusion and terror, she was sinking her teeth into his neck. He struggled against the pain, but she held him fast, wrapping her arms around him so that any passerby would mistake their position for passion. He struggled to escape her grasp, much like the man she had killed last night and the memory only made her drink faster. But as the man's movements started to weaken, Caroline realized that she couldn't leave a body in a public place. Reluctantly, she pulled away and stared into the man's eyes.

"Forget what just happened," she said. "Go home and rest and don't do anything too strenuous for the next week." He nodded, looking a little dazed and walked off. Caroline watched to make sure he wasn't wobbling on his feet and decided she didn't need to give him any of her blood when he climbed a small flight of stairs with relative ease.

Caroline spent the rest of her time in the museum looking at the actual art. Wandering through halls filled with paintings and sculptures from every age and culture. Darkness had fallen by the time she finally left to find Kenneth again.

The drive to Tetorboro seemed longer than the one from it and Caroline suspected it was because she was so anxious to see Stefan again. The flight seemed similarly drawn out despite the pile of celebrity gossip magazines Kenneth had driven her to a bookstore to purchase (damn, she'd missed a lot). She even made herself an old-fashioned and ate the chocolates Stefan had bought her at Max Brenner's in an attempt to fill the silence with as many memories of him as possible. It did little to help.

When the plane landed at the same airport they had departed from yesterday morning, she had to make three trips to carry all of her purchases to Stefan's waiting car, parked in exactly the same spot as they'd left it in. Caroline had a brief nervous break down as she realized she had never driven a stick shift and then plugged in her iPod and chose the most relaxing music she could find. After a few miles and a lot of horrible grinding noises, she started to get the hang of it and followed the directions to Klaus's house that Stefan had written on a note he had had put with the keys. It took her longer than it would have taken Stefan and by the time the car pulled to a stop, she was practically bouncing with excitement.

"Stefan?" she called out when she stepped through the door.

"He's not back yet," Klaus intoned from the direction of the sitting room. Caroline frowned, now she wished she had driven a little slower. By design, she had avoided contact with Klaus as much as possible and she was about to do the same now, until he called out to her again.

"How was New York?" he asked, suddenly appearing to lean on the door frame.

"Freeing," Caroline replied dryly.

"Yes, Stefan told me you did very well. Feeding from a fresh kill is no substitute for feeling the life drain out of a person, is it?"

"Uh-huh," she said without conviction. "Well, it's been a long day, I'm going to rest until Stefan gets back." She started to move toward the stairs when Klaus was suddenly at her side, tightly gripping her arm.

"Oh come now, Caroline," he purred. "We're going to have to learn to get along at some point. Stefan has hardly begun to fulfill his debt to me."

"What makes you so sure he's going to?" Caroline challenged. Klaus raised an eyebrow in amusement, his arrogant smirk making her a little angry.

"I have my ways of making sure he stays loyal to me," he replied, his grip tightening slightly on her arm.

"Maybe you aren't as powerful as you think," she countered, ignoring his implicit threat and leaning closer to him in challenge. Klaus huffed a laugh and released her arm.

"Ah, I see. You think just because you've finally let him sleep with you, you have some degree of control over dear Stefan, is that right?" Caroline blushed, but tilted her chin higher. "But have you stopped to ask yourself if his feelings are genuine?"

"What?" Caroline blurted, taken aback. "Of course they are." Klaus shook his head and smiled before continuing.

"You forget that I'm an Original, sweetheart," he said, the endearment sounding vicious in his mouth. "How can you be sure I didn't compel him?"

"What?" she repeated and took a step back. "No, I know Stefan. What we have is real," she stated, her voice a little shakier than before.

"Mmm," he hummed and gave her a condescending look. "You never wondered why he would suddenly want you after he'd spent all his time in Mystic Falls pining after the latest Petrova doppelgänger?"

"I'm not going to listen to this," Caroline said and turned back toward the stairs, but before she could take a step, Klaus blocked her way.

"Didn't you stop to wonder why he wanted to take you away from Mystic Falls?" he sneered, advancing toward her so she was forced to retreat. "Pretty as you are, you couldn't possibly have thought that was the only reason for Stefan's sudden affection," he added, roughly grabbing her hips and squeezing the flesh.

"Get off me!" she yelled, slapping Klaus so hard that the bones of his jaw cracked. He stilled for a moment as Caroline retreated before he turned to her menacingly and stalked toward her, his shoulders squared.

"Would you like to know what happened to the people you left behind?" he asked, all playfulness gone from his tone. Caroline didn't respond, only widening her stance to prepare herself if Klaus attacked. "Your father was the first to come after you. What a surprising adversary he turned out to be. He and that damn Lockwood woman just wouldn't stop. I believe it was the same night you and Stefan started sharing a bed that I snapped their necks not five miles from here."

"You're lying!" Caroline spat at him, her stomach suddenly tying itself into knots.

"I assure you, I'm not," Klaus said with a grin. "I'd take you to see the bodies, but I did such a good job of tearing them apart that you wouldn't be able to identify them anyway."

With a scream of rage, Caroline charged at Klaus. While she managed to knock him down–so hard that chunks of wood splintered off the floor–he quickly flipped their positions, pinning her to the ground by straddling her hips and forcing her hands to the ground above her head.

"Now that wasn't very nice," he mocked. "But if I can't show you them, maybe I can show you something else. We'd I'd promise to once you finished your training," he added, leaning down so that she had to turn away from him. He stood and roughly pulled her from the ground, grabbing her by the hair when she tried to run. Caroline still fought to break free, but her struggling was put to an abrupt end when Klaus plucked a shard of wood from the ground and shoved it into her chest, just above her heart. "If you continue to struggle, I won't kill you," he warned. "But I'll make you wish I would," he added, twisting the makeshift stake for emphasis.

Caroline nodded and Klaus took her by the arm. The moment they reached the top of the basement stairs, she knew where they were going and as much as she had yearned to know what they kept behind that heavy metal door, she was terrified to discover what might be behind it now. Klaus smirked at her as he unlocked it, pushing her forward at the same moment that he pulled the stake from her chest.

She dropped to her knees from the pain, taking a moment to catch her breath, when she noticed a familiar scent filling the air. One she associated with fear and darkness and....

"Caroline?" a voice said weakly from a dark corner of the room. She looked in the direction of the sound and found a crumpled figure sprawled on the ground behind the bars of a cage.

"Tyler?!" she gasped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you guys are excited about the end. Let me know what you thought of this one and I SWEAR I'll have the final chapter up by the end of the month. Seriously.


	18. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the official end of this story. i want to thank everybody who followed this story and commented and encouraged me to write it. This was my first long-form fic and while I think it definitely shows, I'm proud of it nonetheless. Again, 6-month break aside, this was always the way the story was going to end. Enjoy.

Caroline blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the room's dim lighting, unable to believe what she was seeing. Bruised and looking far worse for the wear since the last time she had seen him, Tyler dragged himself to the front of the bars.

"Caroline," he sighed, sounding so relieved she thought he might cry.

"Tyler" she repeated more softly and crawled across the floor to meet him at the bars. He winced as she gently caressed his cheek with her hand, softly running her fingers over the bruised skin. He reached his hands through the bars too, one tangling in her hair and the other grabbing the side of her face to pull her closer. His eyes began to fill with tears as he stared at her.

"You're really here," he whispered. "I never thought...," he started but was too overcome by emotion to finish.

"It's OK," Caroline whispered soothingly, "I'm here now." She turned and eyed Klaus hatefully. "What did you do to him?" she seethed.

"I took him from the death trap that is Mystic Falls and kept him safe these past months," Klaus said in mock indignation. "It's not my fault if the boy doesn't appreciate it," he added, reaching out to flick on an overhead light.

"Months?" Caroline repeated, confused.

"Yes, young Tyler's been here just as long you have," Klaus explained and shut the door to the room. "I plucked him out of that dank little hole in the ground the same night Stefan brought you here." Caroline gasped as her mind flew back to that night, to the strange feeling that she was being watched when she left the Lockwood cellar. "We've had to keep him down here though because he wasn't quite ready for training," Klaus continued. "Now, however...."

Klaus strutted toward them with a devious smile. Tyler pushed back from the front of the cage, terrified, and Caroline stood in an attempt to protect him. But she was still healing from the stake Klaus had plunged in her chest and all he had to do was Punch her on the open wound and she was knocked to the ground, wincing in pain and struggling to catch her breath.

"No, please," Tyler begged and held his hands up as Klaus opened the cage and walked in. Caroline watched in horror as Klaus bit into his own wrist, picked Tyler up off the ground and placed the wound over his mouth. Tyler struggled, but Klaus trapped him in a headlock, forcing him to drink. She stood, desperate to make him stop, but before she could take a step, Klaus snapped Tyler's neck with one swift movement.

"No!" she screamed and ran to the door of the cage.

"Don't worry, love, he'll wake up soon," Klaus sneered. Caroline felt her body coil for attack and saw him smirk in anticipation before she lunged. On open ground, in a chase, she might have had a chance, but Klaus was too strong. Though she managed to slam him against the back wall of the cage, he quickly threw her off and onto the ground next to Tyler. Before Caroline could regroup and attack again, he rushed to the door and slammed it behind him, locking her in.

"Now behave yourself," Klaus said condescendingly. She ran at the bars, slamming her hands against them and, quick as lightning, he wrapped his hands around hers to keep her there. "There's no need for all that. I told you he'll wake up soon. And as long as your little witch friend wasn't lying, Tyler will become the first of many successful hybrids."

"What did you do to Bonnie?" Caroline asked, her anger sobering to cold fear.

"I've been having a little trouble keeping the werewolves I turn to hybrids alive and after my first witch died trying to contact the original witch, I needed a replacement," Klaus explained. "Your little friends were surprisingly good at protecting her, but I eventually figured out a way to make her do what I wanted."

"Jeremy," Caroline gasped.

"Precisely," Klaus said with a satisfied smile. "After I kidnapped the boy, it was fairly easy to convince her to channel the power of the full moon and the magic of dead witches, even at great danger to herself."

"If anything happened to her, I'll–"

"You'll do what?" Klaus demanded tightening his grip on her hands until she thought the bones might break. "Bonnie didn't make it. And since I no longer had use for the Gilbert boy, I killed him without his little resurrection ring." Caroline thrashed against his hold and kicked the bars enough to bend them slightly; Klaus only laughed at her.

"You won't get away with it," Caroline fumed. "Elena and Damon, they'll hunt you down and I'll help them kill you." Klaus chuckled and released her hands, pacing in front of the cage and shaking his head in amusement.

"You aren't entirely wrong about that," Klaus admitted. "I tried to reason with them, but that Damon really does have a thing for the girl. He just wouldn't give her up."

"What do you mean?" Caroline asked, a terrible sense of foreboding washing over her. Klaus stopped pacing and turned to her again, his eyes a little distant.

"My mother, clever witch that she was, fixed it so that killing the doppelgänger would make me a hybrid, but I wouldn't be able to make more without her blood. Thanks to you and your friends' little machinations, I was lucky enough to avoid that problem, but bringing Elena here has proved to be a tad more difficult. Had to kill that teacher of yours I possessed in my last attempt."

"Alaric," she muttered, shutting her eyes for a moment to mourn him.

"But it's only a matter of time before I have her," Klaus continued, almost forgetting Caroline was there.

"Stefan won't let you do that," she said firmly and his eyes snapped back to her. "He cares about Elena too much." He pondered her a moment, smiling in a way that made her uncomfortable.

"That remains to be seen," he said. "Admittedly, Stefan's humanity has been maddeningly difficult to stifle. He's struggled despite me compelling him to shut it off, which I partially blame you for," he added, pointing a finger at her. "So, I sent him to Mystic Falls to fetch Elena as a little test."

"He's gone back?" Caroline asked softly, at once pleased at the thought of him back home and aching with the desire to be there with him.

"Don't look so sad, sweetheart," Klaus mocked. "I'm sure he'll come back for you at the very least. I'm banking on it, actually."

"What do you mean?"

"Stefan was quite difficult to control when I first took him," he said. "All that moping and brooding," he said and rolled his eyes, "it was exhausting. He needed something to obsess over other than the Gilbert girl. So, I offered him a choice. I needed someone else to help me control my hybrid army and Rebekah is too volatile. I told him to find the strongest person he knew and recruit them.

"I must tell you, I was a little skeptical when he first mentioned you," Klaus stuck a hand through the bars as he spoke, playfully flicking Caroline's chin with a finger. She twisted her face away, baring her fangs at him.

"But how you've developed," he said and shook his head in awe. "I knew he'd made the right choice when you killed that girl the first night. You looked at Stefan with such adoration," he quickly grabbed Caroline's chin, forcing her too look at him. "I hope you look at me the same way one day," he said, barely above a whisper and Caroline used her vampire strength to push away and press her back flush against the back wall of the cage so he couldn't reach her. Klaus smiled smugly.

"I knew then that you would do whatever it took to bring him back to Mystic Falls," he continued. "There were days I almost felt sorry for you."

"I don't believe you," Caroline insisted, her voice deadly quiet. "Stefan is different now. I've watched him change. If he comes back here, he'll kill you."

Klaus smiled wickedly and was just opening his mouth to respond when he turned sharply, staring up at the ceiling and concentrating as if he could hear something Caroline couldn't. His eyes narrowed and he turned back to her with a sneer.

"I think we're about to find out who's right," he stated, the confidence in his voice making her worry.

They waited a few tense moments in total silence. Suddenly, the lock on the steel door clanked open and Caroline instantly recognizing the voices on the other side. She gasped when Stefan first appeared, most of his shirt-front covered in drying blood. But her shock over that was quickly replaced by the shock of seeing him drag Elena into the room.

"Caroline!" Elena gasped when she spotted her.

"Elena!" she replied and ran to the bars. "What happened?" Elena's hand flew to her mouth as he began to cry, though perhaps she had never stopped, her face was damp and puffy from earlier tears.

"He killed him," she sobbed, crumbling to the floor.

"Who?"

"Damon," she choked out. Caroline shook her head in disbelief.

"Looks like I was right," Klaus bragged, drawing Caroline's attention as he opened the cage. She ran for the door, hoping she might be able to knock him out of the way and go to Elena, but he grabbed her by the arm and swung her so she slammed hard against the wall adjacent to the cage. She lunged again, but Klaus turned, grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall so hard she heard cracking noises. His face devoid of emotion, Stefan pulled Elena forward, shoved her into the cage and quickly locked it.

"Oh my God, Tyler," she said and hunched over their friend's body. Klaus released Caroline and pushed her into Stefan. She gripped the fabric of his shirt, desperate to make him look at her.

"Stefan, what did you do?" Caroline pleaded. He turned then, as if noticing her for the first time since he entered the room. Something like recognition washed over his features, but it was quickly replaced with something more animalistic, carnal. He grabbed Caroline's face with both hands and crashed his lips onto hers. She responded, fisting her hands in his hair and gripping onto him as if she could erase what Elena had said by doing so. But she froze when she noticed a familiar scent emanating from the blood on his shirt, but there was not doubt in her mind it didn't belong to Damon. She pushed him back, snatching her hands away from him as if she were afraid to touch him.

"Who else did you kill?" she asked shakily. Stefan didn't respond. He began to advance on her, his face emotionless. "Who else did you kill?!" Caroline repeated, her voice becoming shrill as she began to panic.

"She wouldn't let me take Elena," he said coldly, stepping closer so she had to retreat.

"No, please, no," Caroline begged, the dreams she had had about her mother that morning flashing through her mind. "Did you...?" she started, unable to say the words.

"She's dead," he replied simply. Caroline screamed–part horror, part rage–and lunged at him. Stefan tried to step out of the way, but she managed to wrap her hands around his throat. She didn't have a plan for what she would do to him in that moment, but she wasn't given the opportunity to find out as Klaus wrenched her away.

"Now, now," he admonished, "don't do something you'll regret later."

"Let go of me," Caroline snarled and tried to twist out of his grasp. But a sudden gasping sound across the room drew her attention.

"Tyler," Elena said and reached out to help him sit up.

"Elena?" he asked incredulously as he panted for breath. "How–"

"Yes, yes, she's here, it doesn't matter how," Klaus interrupted. "And lucky for you, because you'll have to drink from her if you want to live."

"What?" Tyler asked.

"That's how you make hybrids," Klaus explained, pulling Caroline closer before sneering in her ear, "blood of the doppelgänger."

She moved before he realized what she was doing, her months of training with Stefan finally paying off. She took the arm Klaus had wrapped around her body and snapped the bone. He let out an enraged bellow and pushed her away. Caroline turned to attack him again, but in her anger, she became too focused on him. Stefan's arms wrapped around her, dragging her away from Klaus. He slammed her roughly against the room's heavy door, calmly waiting for her to stop struggling before speaking.

"There, that's better," he muttered, stroking her hair and caressing her cheek.

"Get off me," Caroline spat, twisting her face away.

"Hey, don't be like that. I've missed you." He stepped closer to her, pressing himself against her.

"I hate you," Caroline seethed, trying to squirm away until he spoke again.

"I didn't have a choice," he said lowly. She froze, staring into his eyes and thought she saw something resembling tenderness, something resembling the Stefan she knew.

"Like I said, sweetheart," Klaus gloated. "You don't have much of a choice either, Tyler," he added and turned to face him. "I'm not asking you to kill Elena, just take one little sip of her blood and the transformation will be complete."

"No," Tyler glowered at Klaus.

"Don't make me force you," he threatened. "Besides, wouldn't it be nice to never have to turn into a werewolf ever again?" he asked enticingly. The look of determination on  
Tyler's face faltered. His eyes flashed to look into Caroline's and she could see how much that prospect meant to him. "And you won't be the last," Klaus said, drawing his attention. "All I ask after you've turned is that you stay loyal to me and help me turn other werewolves. Save them from the moon's tyranny, as it were."

"So I'm just going to be your prisoner?" Elena interjected.

"Don't think of it that way," Klaus replied. "I'll keep you safe for the rest of your life and as thanks, you make a little blood donation every once in awhile."

"You can't do that," Caroline snapped and then turned to Stefan when his grip tightened on her. "We can't let him do this to our friends, Stefan."

"Why do you even care what happens to her?" Stefan asked. "She didn't look for you when she thought you and Tyler went missing, you know. Go ahead. Ask her."

"We didn't know," Elena protested. "You left a note and when we realized Tyler was gone too, we thought you left together. Your Dad and Mrs. Lockwood were the only ones convinced something was wrong."

"And you didn't believe them," Caroline said, narrowing her eyes. "Even after they went missing?" Elena flinched and Caroline felt her earlier anger start to resurface. "Did you even try to look for them or us after that?"

"We couldn't," Elena replied. "We never knew when Klaus was going to attack next, they hadn't even told us where they were going before they disappeared. We had to protect ourselves."

"So no," Caroline said coldly. "Did you and Damon even try to save my mother today?"

"You don't need her to answer that," Stefan interrupted before Elena could speak. "You know Damon would sacrifice anyone to protect her." Caroline looked back at Elena, who quickly averted her eyes.

"I didn't have a choice in what I did," Stefan said, "but they did. They chose themselves over everyone else. And I chose you." He paused then, his grip softening, and reached up a hand to run his fingers through her hair.

"Has anything you said to me been real?" she asked, tears stinging at her eyes.

Stefan smirked a moment and then stepped back slightly. He took each of her hands in one of his, entwining their fingers and raised them above her head to press them onto the door's cold surface. He leaned in and pressed his lips to her neck just below her ear before he spoke.

"I meant everything I said and did last night," he whispered into her ear. She couldn't help the wave of desire that flared in her. She really had missed him all day and despite what she knew he had done since then, she couldn't make herself hate him. How could she when she couldn't even tell how much control he had over his actions? She moaned his name as Stefan trailed kisses down her neck.

"Time to make a decision, Tyler," Klaus said, distracting her slightly.

"I'm sorry, Elena," Tyler said, sounding crushed.

"No, you can't help him," Elena protested, an edge of hysteria in her tone. "Caroline, you can't let this happen."

"I-" she started, but the sharp scrape of Stefan's teeth against her neck drew her attention back to him.

"I need you, Caroline," he purred, pressing himself against her again. "I can't survive this without you, not after what I did to Damon." He pulled away from her just enough to look into her eyes, his expression pained and desperate. "You're the only thing keeping me sane," he said.

Caroline stared into his eyes, ignoring Elena's continued cries for help as Tyler advanced toward her and Klaus's laughter. She couldn't be sure how much of what Stefan said was real. All of this, his love, his pain, could be an act spurred on by his compulsion. But she was sure of one thing: she needed him.

If she went back to Mystic Falls, there would be nothing left for her. Everything that was left of her home was here, in this room. She took a deep breath and Stefan's scent–the one that had always reminded her of home–filled her lungs. A wave of calm washed through her at the familiarity; at how much it now reminded her of the affection he had shown her since the day he took her from Mystic Falls.

She couldn't change him back now, not until Klaus freed him of his debt. Whatever she had done to help him turn his humanity back on stopped mattering the moment he brought Elena back here. The choice was simple: leave and have nothing or become a monster and have Stefan.

Caroline smiled and leaned forward.

"What's next?" she asked and pressed her lips to Stefan's, her desire for him filling her completely as she let her humanity drain away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and please leave some feedback. I don't think the people who were originally heavily following this story read it anymore, but I'd love to hear from anyone who followed this thing all the way through. Let me know if you think the ending does or doesn't make sense or how you feel about it.


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